One of the UK car industry’s most respected figures, former General Motors UK chairman Bill Parfitt, has joined accountants Grant Thornton’s automotive advisory team as a consultant. Mr Parfitt, pictured, is now working with team members including director and automotive manufacturing specialist Neil Barrell, who is based in the firm’s regional office in Bristol. The...
Avon Rubber, the Melksham-based specialist manufacturer best known for its respirators, has won two major contracts as a result of its £3m acquisition earlier this year of VR Technology Holdings. Avon bought VR, a market leader in electronics, computers and life support systems used by professional divers, in April to broaden its reach in...
Bath University is to develop a world-class research facility for low-emission vehicles following the award of funding worth £3.2m. The centre, which will lead research into alternative fuels, electric and hybrid electric vehicles, will be the only one of its kind in the UK. The investment, from a number of sources including the university...
Manufacturing company Watson Gym Equipment is expanding into new premises after a securing a commercial mortgage with Barclays. The £328,000 loan has helped the Frome-based firm, which specialises in handmade bespoke professional gym equipment, move into a 6,400 sq ft site on the town’s Commerce Park Industrial Estate to support its growth strategy. Launched in...
West firms are showing some significant signs of recovery as the economic upturn gains traction, according to the upbeat results of a new survey. Domestic sales for the region’s manufacturing and services sectors have climbed strongly over the past three months while other measures including employment and business confidence, are equally positive, some showing...
Strong trading in its protection & defence division is expected to lift manufacturer Avon Rubber’s full-year profits higher than current market expectations, the group has told shareholders. The boost has come from orders from the UK Government and customers in the Middle East, together with a high level of operational flexibility, which has allowed the Melksham-based group to deliver products...
