We love it when businesses send us their good news and here’s our latest good news round-up. Awards, expansion, new contracts or new jobs, if you’ve got some good news you want to share please email the editor, Martin Shaw, on martin@huddersfieldhub.co.uk.
Law firm Holden Smith has grown its specialist commercial property team with the appointment of commercial property solicitor Simon Shires.
Mr Shires will be based at the firm’s Huddersfield office and will act on a range of commercial property matters including business sale and purchases, commercial leases, option agreements, overage agreements and applications for certificates of lawful use and development.
James Smith, co-founder and director at Holden Smith, said: “Simon’s appointment is significant in the continued growth of our commercial property team, and we are delighted to welcome him to Holden Smith.
“Simon is a highly regarded and well-respected commercial property solicitor, and his specialist knowledge in planning and environmental law will be of significant benefit to our commercial property clients as we continue to grow the department and our work with established SME property developers and landlords across the UK.”
Mr Shires said: “Holden Smith is a dynamic, forward thinking law firm and I am pleased to be joining at a time of significant growth for the business to further strengthen our commercial property law offering. The quality of work the firm continues to attract is excellent.”
Holden Smith was founded in 2019 by James Smith and David Bancroft. The firm employs over 60 people and has offices in Huddersfield, Leeds, Halifax and Ilkley and operates across residential and commercial property law, wills and probate and family law.
Huddersfield headhunting firm, Red Diamond Executive, has placed a new managing director at the helm of the world’s leading compaction equipment manufacturer, BOMAG.
The firm has appointed a new MD in the UK to lead the company through its next phase of growth, as it launches new products built specifically for the British market.
Market stalwart Alan Batty, who had led BOMAG GB for 18 years, has retired and Stuart Truckel, a former director of Bearmach – the specialist Land Rover parts supplier – has been drafted in.
Experienced headhunter Simon Robinson, co-founder of Red Diamond Executive, was appointed to source Alan’s replacement, following BOMAG’s extensive search for a recruitment partner.
Jonathan Stringham, vice president of sales and marketing at BOMAG, said: “We were lucky enough to recruit two managing directors at the same time in two different markets.
“We were able to compare both recruitments and partners. What particularly impressed us was the seriousness, professionalism, and support from Red Diamond.”
Huddersfield-based drug and medical device regulatory affairs consultancy, Woodley BioReg, has launched a new Italian subsidiary, Woodley BioReg Srl.
Based in the northern Italian city of Milan, this office will serve to fortify Woodley BioReg’s access to the European market, opening up new avenues and routes to market for clients using its consulting and import services.
This will significantly enhance the level of services Woodley BioReg can offer its non-EU clients, particularly those based in South Asia and Asia-Pacific regions.
The decision to open a legal entity and new office in Italy has come about due to the impact of Brexit, with a number of directives requiring a European base for bringing products to the European market.
Woodley BioReg could no longer provide that directly to clients in the wake of the UK’s exit from the EU, instead relying on European partners.
The decision to base the subsidiary in Italy over other member states is due to the country being a founding member state of the union and as such the regulatory body, the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), is well established and extremely active in European regulatory affairs.
Managing director and principal regulatory consultant at Woodley BioReg, Dr Ash Ramzan, said: “We want to provide a seamless experience for our clients looking to bring their products to the European market, and therefore it’s imperative that we have our own base in the EU to facilitate that. We’re extremely excited to begin operations in Italy.”
The office will be manned by a mix of local professionals and visiting consultants and support staff from the UK HQ — promoting international sharing of knowledge and insight.
The move is in line with Woodley BioReg’s ambitious growth plans which has seen the business make four key hires in the last six months.
The freehold for the Huddersfield HQ of nursery manufacturer and retailer Mamas & Papas has been acquired by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) owned by funds managed by ARA Dunedin Ltd.
The SPV has acquired the entire 175,211 sq ft site from Clearbell Capital for £8.425m, which reflects a net initial yield of 5.91%.
The investment team at Leeds property consultancy, Gent Visick (GV), acted for the SPV and Clearbell Capital was represented by CPP.
The modern building in Colne Bridge Road has been the base for Mamas & Papas for almost eight years. It has a lease until May 2029.
Garry Howes, director of investment at GV, said: “This is the global HQ and sole distribution centre for well-known baby brand Mamas & Papas, which has 30 stores across the UK and has been in business for more than 40 years.
“Market demand for modern freehold logistics warehousing, with strong tenants like this is high. Its location and grade A specification combined to deliver an attractive investment opportunity for our client.”
Former Colne Valley High School teacher Michael Crinnion – creator of the Luma³ mental health device – made the ’42 under 42’ list of successful entrepreneurs in Yorkshire selected by Insider Media.
Mr Crinnion, 40, founder and CEO of Mind Body Goals, created Luma³, an intuitive and easy-to-use companion cube that uses soft waves and pulses of gentle, soothing light and colour to guide people’s breathing so they can focus on their breath and not worry about timings.
Brighouse-based Mr Crinnion said: “Being selected for 42 under 42 is a wonderful thing for me – not just because I’m grateful it highlights that I’m under 42 – but because it helps people understand my story and how it is possible at any age to take something you are passionate about and turn it into a business.”
The device is aimed at tackling the degrading mental health among the young generation. Mr Crinnion successfully invented Luma³ to help students to focus on their well-being through conscious breathing and adding the practice in their daily routine.
Mr Crinnion aims to provide one Luma³ free of cost to a school, college or university for every 10 Luma³ sold.
He believes that the best way to prepare young minds for the trials and tribulations of life is to help them learn simple, effective self-soothing techniques which they can use for the rest of their lives.
A portion of profits from the sales of Luma³ will also be used to directly subsidise or fund mental health interventions in schools.
