The Escapade Group Expands North With Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm Acquisition

The UK attractions industry has seen another major move this spring, with The Escapade Group officially acquiring Farmer Ted’s Adventure Farm in Lancashire as part of its growing national expansion strategy.

Completed on 8 May 2026, the acquisition gives The Escapade Group its seventh attraction and marks the company’s first major move into the North West. For families across the region, Farmer Ted’s is already a household name, known for its mix of outdoor adventure, indoor play, animal encounters and packed calendar of seasonal events.

Located near Ormskirk, the attraction has built a loyal following over more than two decades and is perhaps best known for housing the UK’s only Shaun the Sheep™ attraction. It has also become a major seasonal destination thanks to Farmaggedon, the hugely popular Halloween scare event which attracts over 30,000 visitors every year and has developed a strong reputation within the international scare attraction industry.

For The Escapade Group, the deal represents another confident step forward in a rapidly expanding portfolio that already includes Hobbledown, Hobbledown Heath, Gripped London, Kidspace Croydon, Kidspace Romford and Watermouth Castle in Devon.

Chief Executive Officer Joe Ponte described Farmer Ted’s as a “fantastic attraction” with a passionate team and strong customer loyalty already in place.

He said the focus now would be on building upon the site’s existing strengths while helping the attraction continue to evolve in the years ahead.

Founders Nick de Candole and Richard Farley also highlighted the attraction’s creativity and strong family appeal, describing it as exactly the kind of immersive, escapist experience The Escapade Group looks for when expanding its portfolio.

Importantly for returning visitors, families can expect continuity rather than dramatic change. The existing Farmer Ted’s team will remain in place as part of the transition, helping preserve the character and atmosphere that have made the attraction such a success over the last 23 years.

Farmer Ted’s founders Mark and Diane Edwards said joining The Escapade Group represented an exciting new chapter for the business, praising the company’s understanding of what makes a successful family attraction in today’s competitive leisure market.

The acquisition also highlights the continued strength of the UK’s experiential leisure sector, where operators are increasingly investing in attractions that combine entertainment, immersive experiences and repeat family visits.

As consumer demand for experience-led days out continues to grow, The Escapade Group appears determined to become one of the UK’s biggest names in family entertainment.

https://www.escapadegroup.com/

Why Planning Applications Get Rejected. And How Developers Keep Getting It Wrong

For many homeowners and business owners, a planning refusal arrives with a mixture of disbelief and frustration.

On paper, the project looked sensible. The extension seemed modest. The commercial refurbishment felt practical. So why did the council say no?

The reality is planning refusals are rarely caused by one dramatic mistake. More often, applications fail because several smaller issues begin stacking up against them.

Poor drawings. Weak supporting information. Ignoring local planning policy. Designs that push a site too far. Lack of consideration for neighbours. Individually, these problems may seem manageable. Together, they can quickly derail an application.

Across Northamptonshire and beyond, planning specialists like Northampton-based Amico Designs are seeing more applicants inspired by Pinterest boards, TV renovation shows and developments spotted elsewhere in the UK. The problem? Planning policies are highly localised.

What works perfectly in one town may be completely unacceptable even just a few miles away.

Bad Applications Sink Good Ideas

One of the biggest misconceptions in planning is that the concept itself matters most.

In reality, the quality of the submission can make or break an application before a planning officer even considers the design properly.

Incomplete elevations, vague layouts, inaccurate site measurements and missing contextual information all create uncertainty. If officers cannot fully assess a proposal, support becomes far less likely.

Even excellent architectural ideas can fail if the application lacks detail.

Good planning drawings do far more than showcase a vision. They justify it.

Local Character Still Carries Serious Weight

Modern architecture may be thriving across the UK, but councils still place enormous importance on local character.

In Northamptonshire especially, planning expectations can shift dramatically between urban developments, suburban estates and traditional villages.

Authorities routinely scrutinise:

Rooflines

Building proportions

Material choices

Street appearance

Visual impact on neighbouring properties

That doesn’t mean contemporary design is impossible. Some of the strongest approvals combine modern design with sensitivity to the surrounding environment.

The key is balance, not excess.

When Extensions Simply Go Too Far

Overdevelopment remains one of the biggest causes of refusal.

With construction costs continuing to rise, many applicants understandably try to maximise every inch of available space. But there is usually a tipping point where an extension starts dominating the original property or negatively affecting neighbouring homes.

Councils regularly reject schemes that:

Create overlooking issues

Reduce outdoor space too heavily

Appear cramped on the plot

Add excessive height or bulk

Overwhelm nearby properties

Interestingly, many refusals are not about the principle of development itself. Often, a slightly reduced scale or smarter layout could have secured approval.

Commercial Projects Face Even Tougher Scrutiny

Commercial applications bring another layer of complexity entirely.

Cafés, hospitality venues and retail spaces must address practical operational concerns alongside aesthetics, including parking, extraction systems, customer access, delivery arrangements, noise and operating hours.

Planning officers are not just assessing how a development looks.

They are assessing how it functions in the real world.

Planning Success Starts Earlier Than Most People Think

One of the clearest patterns behind failed applications is poor early-stage planning.

Too many projects move into expensive design work before applicants properly assess local policy, planning history, conservation constraints or neighbour impact.

By the time problems emerge, redesigns can become costly and time-consuming.

As Guv Bhangal, Operations Director at Amico Design, explained to That's Business: “Most planning refusals happen because the application hasn’t properly addressed the site, the surrounding area, or local planning policy from the outset.”

The strongest planning applications rarely happen by accident.

They happen when preparation starts long before submission.

https://www.amicodesign.co.uk/

Digital Oversight Becomes the New Standard for Motor Finance Compliance

The pressure on lenders across the UK motor finance sector is continuing to intensify as regulatory expectations rise, particularly around Consumer Duty, governance and intermediary oversight. 

For many firms, traditional compliance processes built around spreadsheets, emails and manual audits are no longer sustainable at scale.

That shift is now driving a major move towards technology-enabled oversight models, with firms increasingly looking for more agile, transparent and defensible ways to manage broker relationships.

One company helping lead that transition is Oodle Car Finance, which has overhauled its intermediary oversight framework using a digital oversight platform developed in partnership with Auxiga and jaam automation.

Six months after implementing the Auxiga Oversight Portal, Oodle says it has transformed what was previously a highly manual, resource-heavy process into a scalable and standardised governance framework capable of evolving alongside regulation.

Before adopting the platform, intermediary oversight relied heavily on account managers handling individual emails, spreadsheets, Word documents and on-site broker visits. While workable, the process became increasingly difficult to maintain efficiently as oversight demands grew more complex.

Gethin Down, Senior Intermediary Oversight Manager at Oodle Car Finance, told That's Business that the growing demands of Consumer Duty made it clear a more agile system was needed.

The Oversight Portal combines regulatory oversight expertise with automation and AI-enabled workflows, giving lenders a more structured approach to broker compliance management while improving audit visibility and operational consistency.

For Oodle, the rollout has already seen almost 70 brokers onboarded through the platform. The business has replaced fragmented processes with digital attestations, structured audit workflows and clearer board-level reporting visibility.

According to Lisa Attenborrow, Intermediary Onboarding Oversight Manager at Oodle Car Finance, the impact on administration time has been significant, removing much of the manual chasing and document checking previously required.

But beyond operational efficiency, the company believes the platform is changing the relationship between lenders and brokers themselves.

Rather than oversight being viewed as a disruptive or punitive process, the digital model is helping create a more collaborative environment built around transparency, accountability and shared governance standards.

That wider industry shift is something Auxiga believes will accelerate rapidly as lenders continue facing mounting compliance obligations alongside growing intermediary networks.

Paul Neal, Managing Director at Auxiga, said intermediary oversight is increasingly evolving into a strategic control framework rather than a standalone compliance exercise.

Future developments for the Oversight Portal are expected to include enhanced management information dashboards, expanded on-site audit functionality and deeper CRM integration capabilities.

For the wider motor finance sector, the direction of travel now appears increasingly clear: scalable, collaborative and technology-enabled governance is quickly becoming essential rather than optional.

https://vehicleassetsolutions.eu

Xero Spotlight Gives LemonBooking a Major Boost in the Community Venue Sector

Community venue booking platform LemonBooking has received a major endorsement after being selected for the “New & Noteworthy” collection on the homepage of the Xero App Store.

The invitation-only collection highlights newly certified apps that Xero believes are offering something innovative, unique or particularly valuable to customers. 

With the collection displayed across every region where Xero operates, the feature places LemonBooking in front of millions of businesses, accountants and bookkeepers worldwide.

For a growing software platform focused on community venues, it represents a significant moment.

LemonBooking was designed specifically for organisations such as village halls, community centres and sports facilities, helping them manage bookings, websites, invoicing and ticketing from a single platform. The company officially became a Xero-certified app in February 2026, allowing venue operators to automate much of the financial administration that traditionally consumes hours of manual work each month.

Through the integration, invoices and credit notes created inside LemonBooking are automatically pushed into Xero, while reconciled payments in Xero feed back into the booking system. For volunteer-led venues and small administrative teams, the automation could make a major difference.

The Xero feature is also likely to put LemonBooking firmly on the radar of accountants and bookkeepers working with charities, local community organisations and grassroots sports facilities. Apps showcased in curated Xero collections often see a sharp increase in visibility, trial sign-ups and customer enquiries during their featured period.

Paul Grosvenor, co-founder of LemonBooking, described the recognition as an important milestone for the business.

He said: “Being chosen by Xero is a real vote of confidence in what we’ve built. Xero looks at hundreds of apps each month, so to be picked out is a brilliant moment for the team and for the venues who’ve supported us.

“We built LemonBooking to take the friction out of running community venues — and we’d encourage any accountant with clients in this sector to take a look at the listing and get in touch if they’d like a walkthrough.”

As digital tools continue to reshape how community organisations operate, recognition from a major accounting platform like Xero could help LemonBooking accelerate its growth while bringing modern booking and finance automation to a sector that has often been underserved by mainstream software providers.

https://lemonbooking.com

Ethical Procurement Wins Royal Recognition as Ethstat Receives King’s Award for Enterprise

A Croydon social enterprise is proving that even everyday office supplies can help change lives.

Ethstat Ethical Stationery CIC has received a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development, recognising its work in transforming procurement into a tool for social and environmental change.

The award highlights Ethstat’s mission to help organisations make more ethical purchasing decisions while supporting sustainability, fair employment and responsible supply chains.

Supplying sustainable office products and procurement solutions to major organisations including Nationwide, Greenpeace, Amey and Amnesty International UK, Ethstat has built a business model focused on embedding ethical practices into day-to-day commercial purchasing.

Rather than treating sustainability as a separate initiative, the organisation integrates it directly into procurement, supplier relationships and operational strategy. That approach has delivered measurable results across both environmental and social impact.

According to Ethstat, its work has helped support more than 1,157 Real Living Wage placements and generated over 991,000 hours of Living Wage employment for people facing barriers to work, including prison leavers, people experiencing homelessness, care leavers and families caring for relatives with dementia.

The organisation’s environmental impact has also been significant. Ethstat says its initiatives have helped remove more than 32 million single-use plastics, planted over 27,000 trees and saved more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2 beyond neutrality.

Yasmin Halai-Carter described the award as recognition of a long-held belief that businesses can combine commercial success with genuine social impact.

She said sustainability should not simply exist in reports or marketing campaigns, but should instead be embedded into partnerships, culture, strategy and procurement decisions.

Co-founder and Chief Sustainability Officer Dr Bruce Halai-Carter said procurement remains one of the most overlooked opportunities for businesses to drive positive change.

He added that every purchasing decision reflects the kind of economy an organisation wants to support, and argued that sustainable procurement is now a practical and measurable part of modern business strategy rather than a niche concern.

The recognition comes as businesses across the UK face increasing pressure to demonstrate meaningful action around sustainability, responsible sourcing and ESG performance.

For Ethstat, the King’s Award represents more than a business achievement. It is also a sign that ethical procurement and purpose-led business models are moving firmly into the mainstream.

PipeChain Expands Global Reach With Quyntess Acquisition in Major Supply Chain Tech Move

Swedish supply chain software specialist PipeChain has announced the acquisition of Dutch supply chain technology company Quyntess in a deal set to significantly strengthen its position in the global collaborative supply chain software market.

The acquisition brings together two major players in cloud-based supply chain digitalisation, creating a combined business with annual sales of around €22 million and a yearly ARR run rate of approximately €16 million.

For PipeChain, the move represents a major expansion of both its geographical footprint and technological capabilities. Quyntess already operates across the Benelux region, Germany, France, and the United States, giving PipeChain greater access to key international markets and a broader customer base spanning automotive, retail, and multinational enterprise sectors.

The deal also deepens PipeChain’s ability to support the entire procure-to-pay process, an increasingly critical requirement as businesses seek tighter visibility, automation, and control across global supply chains.

Quyntess brings advanced technology built on modern architectural principles, something PipeChain says will allow substantial improvements across its existing software platform. The combined business plans to accelerate AI-enabled automation, improve supply chain execution, and help businesses shift from reactive management towards more intelligent, data-driven decision-making.

Hans Berggren, CEO and Co-founder of PipeChain, described the acquisition as a “major milestone” for the company.

He said the partnership strengthens PipeChain’s ambition to become the leading collaborative platform for supply chain digitalisation across multiple industries.

According to Berggren, companies operating in increasingly complex global networks need far more than traditional logistics tools. Businesses now require real-time visibility, integrated planning, automated workflows, and intelligent execution systems capable of responding rapidly to disruption and shifting demand.

Quyntess CEO Rob van Ipenburg said the two companies shared a common vision centred on connected, data-driven supply chains.

He added that combining Quyntess’ next-generation technology with PipeChain’s collaborative network expertise would accelerate innovation while delivering stronger end-to-end digitalisation capabilities for customers across Europe, the United States, and beyond.

The acquisition highlights the continued consolidation taking place across the supply chain technology sector as businesses invest heavily in automation, AI integration, and digital transformation following years of global supply chain disruption.

PipeChain was advised on the transaction by DLA Piper, while Quyntess was advised by Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions and Fruytier Lawyers in Business.

Business Schools Go Hands-On as AI Reshapes Career Skills

As artificial intelligence continues to transform workplaces around the world, one leading European business school is taking an unexpected approach to future-proofing its students: teaching them practical trades alongside management theory.

emlyon business school has partnered with L’atelier des Chefs to offer students on its Master in Management programme the chance to earn a CAP vocational qualification at the same time as completing their business degree.

The initiative reflects a growing belief that while AI may automate many office-based tasks, practical, human-led skills remain far harder to replace.

Students can choose from a wide range of vocational disciplines including culinary arts, pastry-making, carpentry, electrical work and other skilled trades. The training is fully integrated into the academic programme, delivered online and contributes ECTS credits alongside traditional business studies.

Participants complete around 150 hours of theory and 200 hours of practical learning, allowing them to build genuine technical expertise while continuing their university education. Around 50 students are currently enrolled, while more than 100 emlyon students and alumni have already completed CAP qualifications through the partnership.

The move highlights a wider shift in attitudes among younger professionals, many of whom are increasingly interested in combining corporate knowledge with practical, entrepreneurial or creative skills.

Lionel Sitz, Director of the Master in Management programme at emlyon, said the partnership reflects changing student ambitions, with many looking to explore new industries, develop side projects or gain skills that open doors beyond traditional corporate careers.

The figures behind the programme are also revealing. While culinary arts, baking and pastry account for around a quarter of L’atelier des Chefs’ training pathways, the majority focus on sectors such as construction, mechanics, beauty, wellness, health and social care — industries where practical expertise remains in high demand.

For business schools, the partnership signals a broader rethink about what employability looks like in an AI-driven economy.

Isabelle Huault, Executive President and Dean of emlyon business school, described the initiative as part of the institution’s “learning by doing” philosophy, combining managerial education with technical know-how and human-centred professions.

Meanwhile, François Bergerault, co-founder of L’atelier des Chefs and an emlyon graduate, summed up the thinking behind the programme with a memorable line: “The intelligence of the hand is not artificial.”

Former students say the qualifications have already created real-world career advantages. One graduate who completed a culinary qualification during studies at emlyon said it impressed recruiters during interviews and later proved valuable while working as HR Director for a restaurant group, helping bridge the gap between leadership and operational understanding.

As AI continues to reshape white-collar industries, initiatives like this suggest the future of business education may be less about choosing between academic and practical learning — and more about mastering both.

Water sector faces ‘perfect storm’ as AMP8 delays push projects off track

The UK water sector risks falling into a familiar cycle of late-stage pressure and rising costs unless it addresses the underlying cause of the slow start to AMP8. 

That’s according to specialist recruiter Murray McIntosh.

The expert in hiring solutions for the water industry has warned that AMP8 has effectively begun at ‘Year 0’, marked by stalled programmes, delayed decisions and a growing talent drain.

While headline investment figures indicate progress, an overlap between AMP7 and AMP8 project delivery has blurred timelines and masked genuine delays in AMP8 delivery, with much of the industry still in planning and mobilisation despite a £104 billion investment.

There is also clear evidence that key deadlines are slipping, with projects originally expected by 2030 now extending to 2032 and beyond. Together, these factors are creating the conditions for a ‘perfect storm’, where delayed mobilisation leads to a surge of activity later in the cycle, increasing pressure on supply chains, costs and delivery risk for AMP8 and beyond.

According to Murray McIntosh, with AMP8 significantly larger than previous cycles, the risk is that the volume of work becomes concentrated into a shorter timeframe, placing unsustainable pressure on supply chains and increasing the likelihood of cost inflation and delivery risk.

Adam Cave, Founder and Managing Director at Murray McIntosh, told That's Business: “The reality of the current AMP cycle is that AMP8 has not truly started yet. What should have been year one has effectively become year zero. 

"Programmes paused during the regulatory process have not simply switched back on, and that lost momentum is now feeding into delayed decisions, cautious investment and a slower pace of hiring.

“The concern is not just where the sector is today, but where it is heading. If mobilisation continues at this pace, we will see a significant build-up of work in the middle of the AMP, much like we saw in the last cycle. That brings supply chain pressure, rising costs and increased delivery risk. 

"The decisions made over the next 12 months will determine whether AMP8 delivers as intended or whether the sector tries to recover lost time under intense pressure later.

“The impact is already being felt in the labour market. We’re seeing a growing reliance on contract hiring as companies prioritise speed and flexibility in an uncertain environment. There’s no doubt that this contingent capability will be essential to bridging immediate delivery gaps across AMP8 as the required scale of the permanent workforce simply doesn’t exist in water. 

"At the same time, though, there is still no coordinated view of workforce demand across the sector, with companies planning in isolation despite the unprecedented scale of AMP8. The transition to a new regulator is adding further uncertainty and delaying key investment decisions around staffing. 

"A more strategic blend of contingent and permanent hiring, underpinned by greater collaboration on workforce planning, will be critical to ensuring the sector can deliver its commitments without placing unsustainable pressure on delivery later in the cycle.

“I find it generally staggering that the water industry is one of, if not the only, remit that has the luxury of being able to forecast demand five years ahead with precision, and yet human capital plans are reactive or under-resourced. That simply must change. Without a shift in approach, the sector risks storing up challenges for later in the cycle, and a more proactive, joined-up approach to delivery and talent will be critical if investment is to translate into sustainable outcomes.”

https://www.murraymcintosh.com/article/amp8-year-0--a-slow-start-with-high-stakes

Why Big Companies Still Aren’t Getting Full Value From HR Tech

For years, enterprise businesses have poured huge amounts of money into modern HR and payroll technology, promising smoother operations, smarter workforce management and fewer manual headaches. 

But according to new research from Strada, many organisations are still struggling to unlock the full value of those investments.

The company’s newly released Workforce Possibility Report 2026 paints a picture of businesses caught between modern systems and old habits, with manual workarounds and legacy processes continuing to dominate day-to-day operations.

The report found that 77% of large employers using major HCM (Human Capital Management) platforms still rely on manual checks, parallel systems or legacy backup processes to keep payroll and workforce operations running smoothly. In other words, despite the technology being in place, many businesses still don’t fully trust it to operate independently.

That lack of confidence is creating what Strada describes as a “value gap” between what these systems are designed to deliver and what organisations are actually experiencing in practice.

The findings suggest many digital transformation programmes are falling short of expectations. Less than a quarter of organisations surveyed reported significant progress in key areas such as reducing manual payroll work or improving compliance confidence.

Just 23% said they had meaningfully cut manual payroll tasks, while only 21% reported major improvements in compliance confidence. For systems often sold on efficiency, automation and risk reduction, those numbers are surprisingly low.

The problem goes beyond payroll administration. According to the research, 81% of organisations now believe workforce complexity is directly affecting their ability to execute wider business strategy.

Instead of streamlined operations, many companies are still juggling fragmented systems, manually reconciling data and maintaining fallback processes long after implementation deadlines have passed. The result is what many in the industry call “shadow operations” hidden layers of manual work that quietly drain time, money and confidence.

Jenni Flaherty, Director of Payroll Product Strategy at Strada, said organisations need to focus not just on implementation, but on continuous optimisation.

She explained that while investment in HR and payroll technology remains strong, many businesses are still in the process of fully integrating and refining those systems. Companies that prioritise ongoing improvement are far more likely to unlock long-term efficiency and value.

The report also highlights another major issue: visibility. Only 39% of organisations surveyed said they have real-time visibility over total global payroll spend, despite payroll being one of the largest operational costs for most businesses.

For many firms, even answering basic workforce questions still involves manually pulling data together from multiple systems, a process that increases the risk of delays, mistakes and poor decision-making.

The research was conducted among 405 senior decision-makers from organisations with more than 1,000 employees across seven global markets, suggesting the challenge is far from isolated.

www.stradaglobal.com

The Royal Mint Turns Old TVs Into New Opportunities

A new partnership between The Royal Mint and Recycling Lives Services is proving that one business’s electronic waste can become another industry’s hidden treasure, while also helping people rebuild their futures.

Through The Royal Mint’s innovative precious metals recovery division, Reformation Metals, circuit boards taken from discarded televisions are now being transformed into valuable recovered materials including gold and other precious metals. 

But this isn’t just another recycling story. It is also a story about skills, rehabilitation and building a more sustainable UK economy.

The partnership sees end-of-life TVs collected from civic amenity sites across the country dismantled at Recycling Lives’ Preston facility and within supervised prison-industry workshops. 

Once stripped down, the circuit boards are carefully graded, checked and sent to The Royal Mint’s cutting-edge recovery facility in Llantrisant, South Wales, where valuable metals are extracted and reintroduced into the supply chain.

At a time when global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, the collaboration highlights the growing importance of keeping valuable resources inside the UK rather than relying heavily on imported raw materials or traditional mining operations.

Sean Millard, Chief Growth Officer at The Royal Mint, described Recycling Lives as a “vital” part of the company’s precious metals recovery work, praising both the quality of the recovered materials and the wider social impact created through the programme.

And that social impact is a major part of the story.

For prisoners involved in the supervised workshops, the work provides more than simply a daily task. It offers practical experience, transferable workplace skills and a route towards future employment opportunities after release.

Adrian Murphy, Chief Executive Officer at Recycling Lives Services, said the partnership combines circular economy innovation with “meaningful second chances”, creating practical pathways into employment while supporting the recovery of valuable materials from UK electronic waste.

The initiative also reflects The Royal Mint’s wider diversification strategy. The historic organisation, which has existed for over 1,100 years,  has increasingly expanded into sustainable precious metals innovation through its Reformation Metals division.

Instead of relying solely on traditional mining, the business is focusing on recovering gold, silver and platinum group metals from discarded electronics, helping support the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy while tackling the growing challenge of e-waste.

It is a smart reminder that the future of British industry may not always lie underground, sometimes it is sitting inside yesterday’s unwanted television.

Location, Not Salary, Is Becoming the Biggest Hiring Headache in Energy Sector

The battle to recruit skilled talent in the energy sector is changing fast, and surprisingly, salary is no longer the biggest sticking point.

New research from Newman Stewart suggests that location is now the number one obstacle facing employers trying to fill on-site energy roles, as businesses grapple with shrinking talent pools and changing workforce expectations.

According to the executive search firm, 59% of employers said location was their biggest hiring challenge when recruiting for on-site positions. Cultural fit came second at 28%, while pay was cited by just 11% of respondents.

The findings paint a clear picture of a sector under pressure. While many industries have embraced hybrid and remote working, energy and industrial employers often have no choice but to require staff on-site. The problem? Increasingly fewer candidates are willing to relocate or commit to long daily commutes.

And even when businesses do find technically qualified applicants prepared to be on-site, there is another challenge waiting: making sure they fit the culture of the organisation.

For employers delivering large-scale infrastructure, engineering and energy projects, team cohesion and workplace culture are becoming just as important as technical ability. Companies are looking for people who can integrate quickly, collaborate effectively and contribute positively in high-pressure environments.

The result is a recruitment landscape that is becoming more competitive, more expensive and considerably more time-consuming.

Newman Stewart Managing Director John Tilbrook says businesses can no longer rely on salary alone to attract top talent.

“We are seeing a clear shift in hiring dynamics,” he explained to That's Business. “Location is now one of the most significant barriers to attracting and securing talent, often outweighing salary considerations.”

He added that many energy and industrial roles simply cannot adapt to hybrid working models, making the mismatch between employer expectations and candidate lifestyles even more pronounced.

Tilbrook believes employers need to think more strategically about how they position opportunities, from project appeal and career progression through to company culture and the overall working environment.

The findings are likely to resonate across sectors facing similar recruitment pressures, particularly manufacturing, engineering and infrastructure, where physical presence remains essential.

As workplace priorities continue to evolve, the message from the energy sector is becoming increasingly clear: if businesses want the best people on-site, they will need to offer more than just a competitive pay packet.

https://newmanstewart.co.uk

Enterprise Awards Announces Entrepreneur Finalists for 14th Edition 2026

Celebrating innovation, resilience and excellence across the entrepreneurial community.

The Enterprise Awards has officially unveiled the Entrepreneur finalists selected for its highly anticipated 14th edition, taking place on 1st July 2026, at the prestigious Drapers’ Hall in the City of London.

Recognised as one of the leading celebrations of entrepreneurial achievement, the awards continue to spotlight exceptional founders, innovators and business leaders who are driving growth, impact and transformation across their industries, and the investment funds that support and enable them.

Since the beginning of the Enterprise Awards, more than 100 outstanding founders have been recognised for their journeys and achievements. Together, their businesses now generate over $3bn in annual revenue and employ more than 17,000 people worldwide.

Following a competitive judging process, this year’s finalists have been recognised across a range of award categories, including Emerging, Developing, Enterprise, Scale-Up, Social Enterprise and Applied AI Entrepreneur.

The Entrepreneur finalists for the 2026 Enterprise Awards are:

Vivek Bajaj - Likezero

Paul Broadhurst - Technetix Group

Eithne Devine-Hynes - DeltaXignia

Laura Earnshaw - myHappymind

Stephanie Eltz - Doctify

Divyaa Garg - LetsLocalise

Thomas Garnett & Vlad Galu - Refute

Michelle He - Abound

Richard Jenkins - Hello Neighbour

Arti Khanna - Vyntelligence

Natalie Munk - Kaylo

Helen Murphy - Opply

Dwarika Patro - Aays Technologies

Kapil Singhal - Vyntelligence

Paul Sulyok - Green Man Gaming

Mark Sweeny - de Novo Solutions

Steve Wilde - NVOY Technologies

Sean Williams - AutogenAI

Speaking on this year’s finalists, John O’Connell, Founder and Chair of the Enterprise Awards, and Executive Chairman of ScaleUp Group, told That's Business:  “Each year, the Enterprise Awards shines a light on the remarkable ambition, creativity and resilience of entrepreneurs who are shaping the future of business. 

"Our 2026 finalists represent the very best of entrepreneurial talent, and we are proud to celebrate their achievements as we mark the 14th edition of the awards.”

Tola Sargeant, Chair of the Judging Panel, and CEO of Archives of IT, added: “The standard of entries this year was exceptionally high, making the judging process both inspiring and highly competitive. The finalists demonstrated not only strong commercial success, but also innovation, leadership and meaningful impact within their industries and communities.”

The winners will be announced at the Enterprise Awards ceremony on 1st July 2026, where business leaders, investors, founders and industry stakeholders will come together to celebrate entrepreneurial excellence.

The Enterprise Awards is proud to be supported by its 2026 partners and sponsors, including Evelyn Partners, ScaleUp Group and Silverpeak as Headline Sponsors; Farringford Legal as Drinks Sponsor; and Archives of IT as Impact Partner. The event is delivered with expert event management support from tx2events.

Early bird table pricing is available until 31st May, with guests encouraged to secure their places early for what promises to be a standout evening in the UK tech calendar.

For more information about the Enterprise Awards, the 2026 finalists, tickets or table bookings, visit https://www.enterprise-awards.co.uk/ or follow https://www.linkedin.com/company/enterprise-awards/.

Glasgow Firm Floors the Competition With New Brand Aimed at Architects and Contractors

A Glasgow company whose flooring has already found its way into some of the UK’s biggest gyms and commercial projects is now making a major move into the specification market.

Superstrata, the new specification-grade flooring brand from Marcias Ltd, has officially launched with its sights firmly set on architects, fit-out contractors, leisure trusts and major gym chains.

If the parent company name does not immediately ring a bell, its client list probably will.

Marcias Ltd is the Glasgow business behind Sprung Gym Flooring, whose products have reportedly been used in projects linked to Google HQ, Manchester City, Manchester United, David Lloyd and PureGym. Now the company is creating a dedicated brand specifically for the commercial specification sector.

The move comes after what the business describes as a sharp rise in enquiries from architects, surveyors and contractors needing far more than just a quick flooring order.

Instead, they wanted the full specification package, fire certificates, acoustic testing, slip ratings, sustainability credentials, technical documentation and compliance data before even considering a product for a project.

Founder and Director Richard McKay said the original Sprung brand was never designed for that type of workflow.

He explained that Sprung Gym Flooring was built around direct buyers such as gym owners and operators who wanted reliable flooring delivered quickly, while Superstrata has been created specifically for the specification process used by architects and contractors.

That means downloadable technical sheets, CAD details, NBS clauses, installation guidance and project case studies all built directly into the platform.

The company says every Superstrata product comes with a full technical documentation pack designed to help streamline commercial project approvals and procurement processes.

The brand is also planning to develop RIBA-accredited CPD content aimed at architects and designers, while targeting growth in the UK leisure, hotel and commercial fitness sectors.

Importantly for existing customers, Sprung Gym Flooring is not disappearing.

The company says Sprung will continue operating as its direct-to-customer brand, serving gym owners and operators as it has since 2020, while Superstrata becomes a separate “front door” for specification-led commercial projects.

For a Glasgow business that already supplies tens of thousands of customers, the launch signals another ambitious expansion, and a reminder that specialist UK manufacturing and supply firms are continuing to find clever ways to scale into new markets.

https://superstrata.fit

https://www.gym-flooring.com

New Book Shows How to Run Successful Projects in Half the Time

In a business world where missed deadlines, wasted budgets and failed initiatives can have serious consequences, effective project management has never been more important.

In The Project Management Book, by leading consultant and trainer Fergus O’Connell, shares practical, proven techniques to help professionals deliver successful projects faster, more efficiently and with greater confidence.

Published by the award-winning business book publisher LID Publishing, The Project Management Book: 50 Ways to Run Successful Projects in Half the Time comes out on 11 June 2026. 

In this concise and practical guide, O’Connell distils decades of expertise into simple techniques that help readers manage projects successfully, avoid costly mistakes and deliver results faster.

Part of LID Publishing’s bestselling Concise Advice Paperback series, The Project Management Book demonstrates that while projects themselves may be complex, project management does not need to be. By applying straightforward rules and practical approaches, readers can save time, effort, resources, and money, while significantly improving project outcomes.

One of the UK’s leading consultants and trainers in project management, Fergus O’Connell is the author of more than 15 business and self-help books, including the bestselling Simply Brilliant. His latest book offers practical, actionable advice for anyone responsible for delivering projects on time and on budget.

https://lidpublishing.com

Chapmanbdsp Engineering Supports Opening of Six Senses London at the Landmark Whiteleys Regeneration

Six Senses in London has opened within the historic Whiteley's building in Bayswater, marking a significant milestone in the £1 billion regeneration of one of the capital's most iconic heritage sites. 

Chapmanbdsp played a pivotal role in bringing the project to life, delivering MEP, environmental, fire engineering and vertical transportation consultancy across the wider redevelopment, as well as specialist engineering design for the new luxury hotel. 

The transformation of Whiteleys, the wider complex that now houses Six Senses, represents one of London's most complex and high-profile heritage redevelopments. 

The project carefully restored the Grade II listed facade and dome of the former department store while introducing a vibrant mixed-use destination including luxury residences, retail, restaurants, cinema and hospitality spaces. 

At the northern end of the scheme sits the recently opened Six Senses London hotel, where chapmanbdsp's engineering expertise assisted in integrating the contemporary building services within a sensitive historic structure. 

The luxury wellness-focused hotel features 110 guestrooms arranged across seven floors, with upper levels benefiting from terraces and gardens that create a calm retreat above the city. 

Guests enter through the restored historic entrance into an elegant lobby space, where restaurants and bars unfold around a bold feature staircase.

A dedicated social and wellness club on the second floor forms the heart of the hotel's offering, combining co-working spaces, a central bar and lounge, a restaurant and a range of wellness rooms designed for both members and guests. 

A standout feature of the showcase kitchen is the open-fire oven, introduced at the client's request to display solid fuel cooking for guests. This created a complex fire strategy for chapmanbdsp, as managing fume build-up required specialised ventilation systems to ensure safety and compliance with regulations.

Below ground, the hotel has an extensive spa and fitness experience. A 20m indoor swimming pool anchors the spa circuit, which also includes communal and gender-specific saunas and steam rooms, alongside up to 12 treatment rooms. 

Specialist wellness facilities including a floatation room, a sensory room and a cryotherapy suite complement a 325m2 gym and additional studio spaces. 

The diverse treatment offerings required chapmanbdsp to deliver complex engineering services while developing coordinated strategies for closely integrated systems. 

Delivering these facilities within a historic building required innovative engineering solutions. The listed external walls restricted ventilation placement, so chapmanbdsp worked closely with the project team to develop highly integrated building services that could be discreetly incorporated within the structure while preserving its architectural integrity. 

One of the project's most significant technical challenges arose from planning restrictions that prohibited the placement of plant equipment on the roof to preserve rooftop spaces for private amenity terraces. 

This constraint required a rethinking of the servicing strategy. In response, chapmanbdsp developed a bespoke engineering solution that relocated all major plant infrastructure to newly constructed basement levels, increasing the building depth from 4m to 18m. 

The design incorporates a sophisticated heat rejection strategy that also performs multiple functions, including exhaust ventilation, smoke ventilation and generator ventilation. This multi-use approach allowed complex systems to operate efficiently while minimising spatial impact within the historic structure.

Across the wider redevelopment, chapmanbdsp's role extended beyond the hotel. The practice provided engineering consultancy for the entire mixed-use scheme, which spans approximately 87,000m² and includes residential spaces, retail, dining and leisure facilities. 

A central energy centre forms the backbone of the development's infrastructure, delivering a localised district heating and cooling network supported by high-voltage electrical distribution serving all assets across the site. The retail and leisure components alone include around 6,500m2 of food and beverage space and 21 retail units, creating a dynamic new destination for West London. 

For chapmanbdsp, the project demonstrates the practice's ability to deliver complex engineering solutions within highly constrained heritage environments while supporting ambitious architectural and sustainability goals. The successful opening of Six Senses London at Whiteleys marks not only the revival of a historic London landmark, but also a showcase of how innovative engineering can unlock the potential of historic buildings for modern, sustainable use.  

https://www.chapmanbdsp.com

One Dashboard to Rule Them All? The Apps That Bring Your Social Media Notifications Together

If your working day currently involves bouncing between Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, YouTube and somewhere in the middle forgetting why you opened your phone in the first place, welcome to modern business life.

For many small businesses, bloggers, retailers, cafés, restaurants and independent brands, social media is no longer “optional marketing.” 

It is customer service, advertising, networking, reputation management and occasionally unpaid therapy.

The problem?

Keeping up with notifications across multiple platforms can become a full-time occupation.

Fortunately, a growing number of apps are now designed to pull everything together into one manageable dashboard.

Why Businesses Are Moving Towards Unified Social Media Dashboards

Instead of checking six different apps every few minutes, unified social media platforms can allow businesses to:

View messages from multiple platforms in one inbox

Respond to comments and mentions faster

Schedule posts across several networks

Track engagement and analytics

Reduce the risk of missing customer enquiries

Save an enormous amount of time

For busy SMEs, that can make a genuine difference.

Some of the Most Popular Platforms

Hootsuite

One of the best-known names in social media management, Hootsuite offers a powerful all-in-one dashboard covering notifications, scheduling and analytics.

It is particularly useful for businesses managing multiple brands or high volumes of activity, although some smaller firms may find the pricing a little steep.

https://www.hootsuite.com

Agorapulse

Agorapulse has built a strong reputation around its unified inbox system.

For businesses that receive large numbers of comments, messages and mentions, it offers a cleaner and more organised way to keep conversations under control.

It is especially popular with agencies, creators and growing independent brands.

https://www.agorapulse.com

Buffer

Buffer takes a more streamlined approach.

It is simpler than some of the larger enterprise-focused systems, making it attractive for bloggers, freelancers and smaller businesses that mainly want scheduling and light inbox management without unnecessary complexity.

https://buffer.com

Zoho Social

For businesses already using Zoho products, Zoho Social can fit neatly into an existing workflow.

It combines social management with reporting and customer relationship tools, often at a more budget-friendly price point than some competitors.

https://www.zoho.com/social

The Important Catch

While these platforms can dramatically reduce social media chaos, there is one unavoidable limitation:

Not every social media company allows full notification access through its API.

In plain English, that means some notifications may still only appear properly inside the original platform’s own app.

So while unified dashboards can reduce the madness, they may not completely eliminate it.

The Bottom Line

For businesses trying to stay visible online without spending half the day trapped inside notification overload, unified social media platforms can be a genuine productivity upgrade.

Because frankly, if your phone pings one more time from six different apps at once, there is every chance somebody may eventually attempt to throw it into the nearest canal.

Opti Day London: From Traffic Decline to Value Optimisation. How Publishers Are Reframing Monetisation in 2026

Opti Digital, the leading AdTech company specialising in publisher revenue optimisation, hosted the London edition of Opti Day last week, bringing together senior publisher revenue leaders to exchange on the operational realities shaping monetisation strategies today.

Following previous editions in Paris and New York, the London session reinforced the role of Opti Day as a platform for practical, experience-led discussions, moving beyond high-level trends to focus on how publishers are adapting their models in increasingly complex and constrained environments.

A changing paradigm: from volume to value

Opening the session, Magali Quentel-Reme, CEO at Opti Digital and Olly Aulakh, CRO, outlined the structural shifts currently impacting publisher monetisation.

Traffic volatility, declining acquisition from key channels, and sustained pressure on open market CPMs are redefining how growth is approached. Scale alone is no longer a viable lever.

At the same time, user experience and technical performance have become directly linked to revenue outcomes. Page speed, latency, and overall site efficiency now play a central role in audience acquisition, engagement, and monetisation.

“Publishers can no longer rely on volume alone, maximising value per user has become the new growth driver,” Magali Quentel-Reme told That's Business.

In this context, publishers are facing a fundamental challenge: how to maximise the value of each user interaction while operating within increasingly complex and fragmented environments.

Drawing on its experience working with a broad portfolio of publishers globally, Opti Digital emphasised a model combining lightweight, performance-driven technology with a consultative approach, positioning itself as a strategic partner focused on balancing revenue growth, user experience, and operational efficiency.

Publisher panel: navigating complexity in practice

The publisher panel, featuring Hasan Ramadan (Head of Digital Advertising, Euronews) and Alistair Patterson (Head of DataLab, 1XL), provided a grounded perspective on how these challenges are translating into day-to-day operations.

A key theme was the growing complexity of publisher stacks. Fragmented setups, multiple demand partners, and evolving ecosystem dynamics are not always generating incremental value — and in many cases, are introducing inefficiencies and revenue leakage.

Audience behaviour is also shifting, particularly among younger users, pushing publishers to rethink both distribution strategies and monetisation approaches.

Rather than relying solely on traditional setups, publishers are actively experimenting with new formats, new integrations, and alternative ways of capturing demand more effectively.

Both speakers also highlighted the importance of close collaboration with partners such as Opti Digital, not only from a technology perspective, but in enabling faster execution, improving performance, and aligning monetisation strategies with operational realities.

Client spotlight: execution as a competitive advantage

The session with Thomas Porteus (Director of Product and Partnerships, Navigate Health) illustrated how these challenges translate into execution.

Facing legacy technology constraints, performance issues, and declining monetisation efficiency, the publisher partnered with Opti Digital to rebuild its infrastructure and improve site performance.

By focusing on speed, mobile optimisation, and simplified monetisation frameworks, Navigate Health achieved a significant uplift in revenue performance (up to +46%), while also reducing operational complexity for a lean internal team.

Beyond performance gains, the collaboration enabled the team to shift focus from technical troubleshooting to growth, highlighting the importance of execution speed in a fast-moving ecosystem.

From insight to business impact

Across all sessions, one element stood out: the level of operational depth in the discussions.

Rather than focusing on abstract trends, conversations centred on execution, what's working, what isn't and where publishers are actively testing new approaches.

Opti Day London confirmed publishers are operating in a market defined by structural constraints, but also by increasing opportunities for those able to adapt.

Performance will increasingly depend on:

maximising value per user rather than scale

aligning monetisation with user experience

simplifying infrastructure

executing faster and more efficiently

More broadly, the event reinforced the role of collaborative, peer-driven formats in helping publishers navigate these challenges.

As the ecosystem continues to evolve, the next step is clear: translating insight into execution, and execution into measurable business outcomes.

RoRo, RoRo Your Boat More Easily as Customs Declarations UK Goes Live with French ELO, Delivering End-to-End Channel Crossing Compliance in Single Platform

Customs Chaos? There’s Finally One Less Border Headache for UK Hauliers.

If you've ever watched someone trying to deal with post-Brexit customs paperwork, you'll know it resembles a cross between air traffic control, speed dating and an escape room designed by accountants.

Just when operators thought they'd finally got their heads around CDS declarations, ENS filings, GVMS references, MRNs and the thousand other acronyms now haunting Britain’s logistics sector, along came another delightful addition from France: the Enveloppe Logistique Obligatoire, or ELO.

Because obviously what cross-Channel freight really needed was another mandatory digital envelope.

Thankfully, Customs Declarations UK, better known as CDUK, has announced it's now fully live with France’s ELO system following direct integration and certification with the French customs authority, the DGDDI.

And for businesses moving goods between the UK and France, that's actually rather important news.

So... What Exactly Is ELO?

The ELO is now mandatory for road freight vehicles travelling between the UK and France via RoRo routes like Dover, Folkestone and the Channel Tunnel.

In simple terms, it acts as a digital logistics envelope linking together all the customs and safety paperwork connected to a crossing.

Or, put another way, it's one more thing drivers absolutely do not want to discover is missing while sitting in a queue at Calas.

The system connects vehicle details, customs declarations, safety filings and barcode data so French customs authorities can see everything before the truck even arrives.

Without it, things can get very awkward very quickly.

One Platform Instead of Seven Browser Tabs and Mild Panic

What makes CDUK’s announcement significant is operators can now complete the entire process from one system instead of bouncing between multiple portals while quietly questioning their career choices.

Users can:

Submit UK CDS import and export declarations

File ENS declarations for GB safety and security

Complete ICS2 filings for EU requirements

Generate the ELO directly within the platform

Download the required barcode instantly for border presentation

That means fewer duplicated entries, fewer mismatched references and considerably less opportunity for somebody to accidentally upload the wrong form at 4.57pm on a Friday afternoon.

ICS2: The Acronym That Sounds Like a Robot from Star Wars

For goods heading into the EU, the ELO is heavily tied into the ICS2 safety and security framework.

French customs requires ELO submissions to reference the relevant ENS or ICS2 filing data, which means operators without a proper ICS2 setup can find themselves with a rather alarming compliance gap.

CDUK says its platform handles ICS2 filings across road, sea, air and rail transport, including both House and Master-level declarations.

Which is useful, because modern customs compliance increasingly feels like trying to complete a Sudoku puzzle while driving a lorry through Kent.

Free ELO Access? In This Economy?

In a rare and refreshing twist, CDUK says its ELO functionality will be available free of charge under a fair usage policy for both existing customers and new subscribers.

Given the growing pile of costs facing hauliers, freight forwarders and importers, that decision will likely be welcomed with the sort of enthusiasm normally reserved for functioning motorway services coffee machines.

Jawahir Lal Lund, Director and CEO of AJ Software Solutions Limited, summed it up neatly, saying businesses are already facing enough regulatory complexity without having to juggle multiple systems and risk costly mistakes.

And honestly, after several years of border bureaucracy multiplying faster than supermarket meal deal prices, few in logistics are likely to disagree.

For operators regularly moving goods across the UK–France corridor, particularly through busy RoRo crossings, this integration could remove one of the more frustrating administrative bottlenecks from the process.

Which, in 2026, practically counts as a miracle.

https://www.customs-declarations.uk

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Could Modular Living Be the Future of UK Housing?

Rising costs, limited supply and changing lifestyles are forcing the UK to rethink what “home” really means, and modular living is quickly moving from niche idea to serious business opportunity.

For years, the traditional housing model has struggled to keep pace. Property prices remain stubbornly high, rents continue climbing, and new-build developments can take years to move from planning approval to completion.

For buyers, renters, landowners and developers alike, frustration is growing.

The big question is no longer simply “How do we build more homes?” but “How do we build smarter ones?”

Across the UK, people are starting to challenge old assumptions. Do we really need bigger homes, or just better-designed spaces? Does every development need years of disruption and heavy infrastructure? And can modern living work beyond the limits of traditional bricks and mortar?

The answer, increasingly, looks like yes.

A new wave of design-led modular living is stepping into the spotlight, offering faster, more flexible alternatives to conventional construction.

Capsule Whales is one of the businesses helping drive that shift. The company develops compact modular capsule units designed for both residential and hospitality use, offering an approach that prioritises speed, flexibility and smart design over sheer size.

Unlike traditional housing developments, modular units can be delivered and installed far more quickly. Their smaller footprint and efficient layouts make them suitable for everything from private garden spaces and additional land use to boutique resorts, glamping sites and short-term rental investments.

This is particularly attractive at a time when tourism and hospitality are seeing rising demand for unique, design-focused accommodation, especially in natural and remote locations.

Founder Andrius Milašius believes the change is being driven by both practicality and mindset.

“There is a growing frustration with how slow and restrictive the traditional system can be,” he explained to That's Business. 

“At the same time, people are realising they don’t necessarily need more space, they need better, smarter and more flexible space.”

One of the biggest game changers is off-grid capability.

By combining modular units with renewable energy, battery storage, water generation, recycling systems and independent waste solutions, developers can create functional living spaces without relying heavily on existing infrastructure.

That opens up huge opportunities for underused land, eco-tourism projects and scalable housing concepts in locations once considered impractical.

For landowners, it also creates a fresh route to income generation, with faster deployment, phased expansion and lower upfront commitment than major construction projects.

As consumer demand shifts towards privacy, nature, experience and design, modular living is no longer just an interesting concept.

It is becoming a serious business model.

The future of housing may not be bigger.

It may simply be smarter.

http://www.capsulewhales.com

Stop Pricing the Wrong Jobs: How AI Is Helping Builders Bid Smarter

For many UK construction firms, tendering can feel a bit like buying a lottery ticket, except each ticket costs dozens of hours and a small fortune in staff time.

Now, Gurler Mae Group is hoping to change that with the launch of ConstructionKit, a new AI-powered pre-tender intelligence platform designed to help contractors work out whether a job's actually worth bidding for before they sink time into pricing it.

And frankly, it sounds like something the industry has needed for years.

ConstructionKit pulls together data from 417 local planning authority portals, alongside sources like Contracts Finder, Find a Tender, DEFRA ecology databases, Environment Agency flood risk records, and Historic England records.

In simple terms, it gives estimators and quantity surveyors a much clearer picture of a project before they even open the drawings.

Instead of blindly diving into a bid, the platform uses AI to assess commercial construction projects across England for risk, ecology concerns, funding visibility, and likely margin sensitivity.

That means contractors can quickly spot red flags early, before they’ve burned 60 hours of senior estimator time on something that was never likely to be profitable in the first place.

And that matters.

Industry figures suggest the average competitive tender win rate for UK contractors sits somewhere between one in eight and one in twelve. That is a lot of lost time, especially for SME contractors with turnovers between £2 million and £20 million, where every estimating hour counts.

Emre Gurler, founder of Gurler Mae Group and ConstructionKit, puts it bluntly.

He told That's Business: “The construction industry has had access to project data for years. But data alone does not solve the problem. Contractors do not need more projects to look at. They need to know which ones are worth bidding on.”

That’s the real issue.

More leads aren't the answer. Better decisions are.

ConstructionKit’s own analysis of over 310 commercial projects found only 41% had full planning consent, clean ecology surveys, and a clearly identifiable funding source.

The other 59%? Packed with risks many firms only uncover after they’ve already committed serious estimating resources.

That's not inefficiency, that's expensive guesswork.

The platform is available on subscription, starting from £199 per month, with a Commercial Founding Member rate of £349 per month.

Alongside the paid platform, the company has also launched three free resources for the sector: a Pre-Tender Bid Qualification Checklist, a monthly UK Pre-Tender Intelligence Report, and the Construction Scoreboard, a free diagnostic tool designed to help firms identify their biggest commercial bottleneck.

In a sector where margins are tight and wasted time is expensive, bidding smarter may be far more valuable than simply bidding more.

To learn more visit getconstructionkit.com.

Cirrus named NiCE UK&I AI Partner of the Year

Cirrus has been named as UK&I AI Partner of the Year by NiCE, the global leader in AI-powered platforms, at its 2026 NiCE EMEA Partner Summit in Marrakech, Morocco.

Cirrus, the UK-based contact centre transformation specialist, was recognised for excellence in helping organisations adopt artificial intelligence (AI) and automation within customer service functions, with the judging panel noting its strong performance throughout 2025.

The team secured more CX AI deals for NiCE AI products in the UK and Ireland than any other partner across the year, including the largest CX AI deal in the region, and a high-profile contract with the UK’s largest local authority.

Jason Roos, CEO of Cirrus, told That's Business: “This is a big moment for us, and worthy recognition for our team who’ve worked tirelessly to grow our business. Our blossoming partnership with NiCE has strengthened what we can deliver for customers at a time when many organisations are looking for a trusted pair of hands to help them deploy CX AI with confidence.”

“We take pride in doing things differently and this award reflects the momentum we’ve built as a distinctive offer in the market. It speaks to the success we’ve had with customers, and the strength of our joint story with NiCE. We were up against some really established competition for this award and are really chuffed to have come out on top.”

Darren Rushworth, President, NiCE International, added: “Cirrus has demonstrated exceptional leadership and execution in bringing AI-powered customer experience solutions to market. Their ability to drive meaningful outcomes for customers, combined with a strong commitment to innovation, makes them a truly deserving recipient of the NiCE UK&I AI Partner of the Year award. We are proud to partner with a team that consistently delivers impact and helps organisations unlock the full potential of CX AI.”

Cirrus’ CXone journey with NiCE began in November 2024, and they were named as NiCE Game Changer Partner of the Year for 2025.

They were later awarded Platinum Partner status by NiCE in February 2026 in recognition of their performance within the NiCE 360 SUCCEED Program for 2025.

The Platinum tier represents the highest level of partnership within the NiCE ecosystem and is awarded to organisations that demonstrate sustained delivery quality, customer success, and commitment to long-term value.

Why More Businesses Are Turning to Device as a Service

Buying laptops, phones and workplace tech the old-fashioned way can be painfully expensive. 

Large upfront costs, shipping headaches, endless setup time and replacement delays all add up fast, and IT teams often end up spending more time chasing hardware than driving innovation.

That's why more organisations are looking seriously at Device as a Service (DaaS), and according to a new Total Economic Impact™ study from Forrester Consulting, the financial case is hard to ignore.

Commissioned by devicenow, the study found a global business with 30,000 employees could achieve an impressive 89% return on investment over three years by switching from traditional device purchasing to a DaaS model.

Even better, the projected net present value came in at €16.2 million.

And that's not pocket change.

Goodbye Big Hardware Bills

Traditionally, companies buy devices outright, often paying around €1,000 per device before even thinking about shipping, international transfers and setup costs. Depending on where those devices are going, logistics alone can add another €120 to €500 per unit.

It quickly becomes a budgeting nightmare.

With DaaS, businesses move to a subscription-based model where hardware, support and lifecycle services are bundled into a monthly cost. No giant capital expenditure spikes. No surprise replacement panic. No finance director quietly weeping into a spreadsheet.

Forrester estimates this approach could save organisations €27.1 million over three years in avoided hardware procurement and logistics costs alone.

Freeing Up IT Teams

Ask most IT departments what they would rather do: strategically improve systems or spend hours staging laptops and chasing returns, and the answer is rarely “more laptop admin, please.”

Traditional ownership models mean internal IT teams handle provisioning, setup, support and end-of-life processing for every device. That can mean around 6.5 hours of work per device.

Under a DaaS model, much of that workload shifts to the provider.

The result? Around €4.6 million in IT operational savings over three years, plus more time for IT teams to focus on projects that actually move the business forward.

Less Downtime, Happier Staff

Broken, lost or stolen devices are inevitable. The real problem is how long it takes to replace them.

Under traditional procurement models, replacement can take around eight days. With DaaS, that drops to roughly two.

That faster turnaround cuts employee downtime by around 75%, recovering an estimated €2.7 million in productivity over three years.

In simple terms: fewer frustrated employees, fewer missed deadlines, and fewer “my laptop died” excuses.

As Christin Wehrstedt put it to That's Business: "DaaS helps businesses reduce complexity, stabilise costs and let IT teams focus on higher-value work."

Which sounds a lot better than arguing over who forgot to order the replacement chargers.

You can download the full study: https://devicenow.com/forrester-tei

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Why Industrial Heat Pumps Are Becoming Big Business

For years, industrial heating has been one of the biggest hidden contributors to carbon emissions. 

Behind factories, paper mills, chemical plants and large-scale heating networks, vast amounts of energy are still being generated using fossil fuels.

In fact, over 70% of industrial process heat worldwide still relies on traditional carbon-heavy sources.

That, however, is starting to change.

Innomotics is pushing hard into one of the most important areas of industrial decarbonisation: industrial heat pumps.

Unlike the small domestic heat pumps homeowners are becoming familiar with, industrial heat pumps operate on a much larger scale. They recover ambient heat or waste heat from existing processes and upgrade it into usable high-temperature heat — in some cases up to 150°C. That means businesses can recycle energy they would otherwise lose, dramatically improving efficiency while cutting emissions.

The commercial argument is just as strong as the environmental one.

Heat pumps can deliver several times more thermal output than the electrical energy they consume, making them one of the most efficient heating technologies available. When powered by renewable electricity, carbon emissions can be reduced to near zero. At the same time, operators benefit from lower running costs, reduced maintenance, and system availability as high as 99.9%.

That combination of green credentials and financial savings is exactly why major industrial players are paying attention.

One standout example is in the Netherlands, where the country’s largest heat pump system recovers heat daily from 65 million litres of treated wastewater. 

Powered by Innomotics drive systems, the project supplies district heating to around 20,000 households, covers roughly 15% of regional heat demand, and cuts CO₂ emissions by around 30,000 tonnes every year.

In Germany, the company is also supplying key technology for what is being described as the world’s most powerful industrial heat pump at BASF’s Ludwigshafen site. The system is expected to generate up to 500,000 tonnes of steam annually, a major step forward for industrial electrification.

Further projects in France and Finland are proving the same point: waste heat is no longer waste if you have the right infrastructure to capture it.

As Michael Reichle, CEO of Innomotics, puts it, industrial heat pumps are becoming “a key technology for the energy transition,” helping businesses become both more efficient and more sustainable.

In short, decarbonisation is no longer just an environmental issue, it is rapidly becoming a competitive business advantage. And for industry, heat pumps may be one of the smartest investments of the decade.

http://www.innomotics.com

WDM and Metricell Collaborate to Deliver PAS 2161-Compliant Road Condition Surveying

W.D.M. Limited (WDM), a global leader in highway surveying and asset management solutions, has announced a new collaboration with SmartVision, a cutting-edge AI insight technology developed by Metricell. 

The partnership brings together strategic highway surveying expertise and a proprietary neural network designed to operate on real-time data, to support local authorities with PAS 2161 compliant road condition monitoring reporting.

By combining WDM’s long-established leadership in highway surveying and asset management solutions, with the pioneering SmartVision AI platform, the two organisations will deliver innovative, scalable surveying services. 

This collaborative solution will meet the requirements of the new PAS 2161 road condition monitoring standard, helping highway authorities transition confidently to the new national approach whilst retaining the granular objective data collected by WDM’s Road Assessment Vehicles (RAV) which operate to the SCANNER specification.

The introduction of PAS 2161 marks a significant change in how road condition data is collected and reported across English Local Authorities. 

Through this collaboration, WDM and SmartVision will provide customers with a comprehensive solution that combines engineering expertise with cutting-edge technology, merging detailed survey expertise with AI Innovation.

WDM demonstrates decades of experience in highway surveying and strategic road management planning. Utilising its modular software platform, Highways Infrastructure Asset Management System, the company has long supported highway authorities with data-driven insights that inform maintenance prioritisation, resource allocation and safety improvements across road networks.

SmartVision’s advanced artificial intelligence capabilities uses computer vision models to analyse road surface conditions and infrastructure assets from captured imagery, delivering the analysed data through the SmartVision platform. The system can automatically detect and classify defects and features across the highway network, providing scalable and efficient inspection capabilities.

By combining these complementary strengths, the collaboration enables an effective approach to PAS 2161 data collection, which pairs engineering principles and survey strategy with automated analytics and digital inspection tools.

As local authorities adapt to the new national standard, reliable and consistent road condition data will be vital to support decision-making and reporting requirements, as well as targeting the most essential works and justifying cost.

The WDM / SmartVision collaboration supports Local Authorities through the transition to PAS 2161 enabling access to PAS 2161 compliant survey data supported by both specialist highway engineering knowledge and advanced AI analysis. 

This approach helps ensure that condition assessments remain accurate, repeatable, and scalable across networks while maintaining confidence in results used to inform national statistics and maintenance planning.

Beyond compliance, the partnership reflects a wider focus, ensuring that road condition data delivers genuine value for asset management programmes, enabling highways authorities to access a wide range of additional RCM data from a single survey.

High-quality survey data provides far more than a snapshot of road condition. When collected and interpreted correctly, it becomes a foundation for wider infrastructure insight, supporting the monitoring of additional highway assets, improving maintenance planning, and enabling authorities to move towards more proactive and predictive network management.

By combining WDM’s survey expertise with SmartVision’s AI powered analytics, the collaboration aims to provide local authorities with detailed, more actionable datasets. Ultimately, it is the quality and integrity of this data that enables highway authorities to plan effective maintenance strategies, optimise budgets, and deliver safer, more resilient road networks to benefit the communities they serve.

Developed in the UK, SmartVision’s advanced AI model has been trained on over 11 million images to accurately identify more than 120 road condition criteria. 

Combined with a powerful data platform, the solution enables local councils, highway authorities and insurance providers to take a proactive, data-driven approach to maintaining a resilient transport network and improving road safety.

https://www.wdm.co.uk