Author: Coralinn

Lanarkshire house builder Rosewood Homes is investing £6million in three new projects at Carluke, Lanarkshire, after acquiring 12,900 square metres of prime building land. Developments will range from four and five-bedroom luxury villas to affordable two-bedroom flats.

Rosewood Homes, and sister company Rosewood Contracts, are run by Carluke-based builder Lou Lauder (50) who says the area is ideally located for buyers across the property sector.

He said: “The town has become increasingly popular with commuters because of its excellent road and rail links to Glasgow and Edinburgh, making both easily accessible.

“We are building a range of homes at prices people can afford and which offer true value, especially when compared to the spiralling cost of property in the big cities.”

Born and raised in Carluke, Lou and his family still live in the town. Lou started in the building industry as an apprentice joiner with the South Lanarkshire Council.

Since founding Rosewood, the company has built several developments in the Carluke area over the last 10 years, establishing a reputation for delivering top quality properties, ranging from one-bedroom flats or spacious family homes.

Lou said:  “As the Scottish property market comes back to life and new-build homes are financially more available through the Government’s Help to Buy Scheme, we see the Rosewood’s venture in Carluke as a solid investment.”

“We are investing heavily in the area because we believe Carluke will continue to grow and prosper.”

The Scottish Government’s Help to Buy Scheme provides an equity loan of up to 20% of the purchase price of a new build home. The incentive is open to all buyers and is particularly attractive to first time buyers who need as little as a 5% deposit to secure a property.

The first of the three projects in Carluke is individually designed four and five-bedroom villas on Luggie Road. New build properties at the luxury end of the market are increasing in the Carluke area but Rosewood’s development will be the first located close to the town centre.

David Manson, from Glasgow based architects Manson Associates, says the houses are designed with modern innovation.

“A real selling point of this development is its stunning views over the surrounding South Lanarkshire countryside. Each house is built to embrace its natural surroundings through south-west facing balconies and energy efficient design.”

Rosewood Homes is currently completing a social housing project in Carluke in partnership with Clyde Valley Housing Association. The development of 12, one-bedroom units is running on budget and ahead of schedule.  With demand for social housing high, Rosewood has ambitious plans to expand its involvement in social housing projects with local councils.

The Rosewood Group is backed by private equity company Coralinn which is supporting Rosewood in an ambitious three-year growth plan. Coralinn’s managing partner and Rosewood Group chairman is leading Scottish entrepreneur Hugh Stewart OBE.

The majority of Rosewood’s team are from Carluke or surrounding local areas, the company is keen to continue its investment in local talent and skill through its apprenticeship scheme which is set to grow as the company develops.

Read about Rosewood Home’s venture into Carluke in The Herald, published 19th April 2014:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/rosewood-homes-to-develop-in-carluke.23995991

Clyde Space, the Glasgow-based company putting Scotland’s first satellite into space, has announced record orders of around £3million for the last year.

The record-breaking figure was announced by CEO Craig Clark MBE as he revealed new orders from the US Air Force Academy and the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-ISAB).

Craig also announced that the company was expanding because of increasing demand for its pace-setting products and was in final negotiations for new premises which will treble the size of its manufacturing and design space to 10,000sq ft.

The company is a leading producer of small satellite, nanosatellite and CubeSat systems – fully-functional satellites that ‘piggy-back’ on other launches to minimise costs and boost the commercial viability of space research.

Craig said: “The increase in orders is not only an indication that the small satellite market is growing, but also that we are offering the right kind of products and services for that market. It’s also very encouraging to note that many of our new orders are from repeat customers.”

Craig also said that he had received confirmation that the launch date for Scotland’s first satellite, UKube-1, will be June 19 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.

Craig said he was was delighted the launch date was now fast-approaching. “The sooner it’s launched the better because it will show our capabilities.”

The order from the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, worth €300,000, is for a full mission CubeSat.

The Institute specialises in the physics and chemistry of the atmosphere of the earth and other planets and outer space. The CubeSat’s payload will include a Hyper Spectral Imager whose applications include the capability of measuring the composition of the atmosphere.

The order for the US Air Force Academy is for solar panels and reaction wheels, which control the pointing direction of a satellite, for the FalconSAT-6 programme.

The main experiment aboard FalconSAT-6 is a multi-mode flight experiment designed to prove the effectiveness of multiple thrust modes. For commercial reasons, the exact value of the order cannot be revealed but it’s worth several hundred thousand dollars.

Clyde Space has also recently won another order from a US company, which cannot be named because of commercial sensitivity, for a five kilowatt, high-power electrical power system for a small satellite project.

Craig, who received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to innovation and technology, said: “This is an exciting time for Clyde Space as we expand into new premises and also expand the depth and capability of the excellent team we have working here.”

The launch in June of UKube-1, which was designed and manufactured by Clyde Space at their high-tech facility on the West of Scotland Science Park, will send into space one of the most advanced satellites of its kind.

The complexity of the spacecraft is highlighted by the nature of the six independent, advanced payloads it carries.  The mission is the pilot for a collaborative, national CubeSat programme bringing together UK industry and academia to fly educational packages, test new technologies and carry out new space research quickly and efficiently.

Read The Herald’s coverage on Clyde Space’s expansion here:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/company-news/clyde-space-all-set-for-major-expansion.23923111

Stephen Greenland, a systems engineer at Clyde Space the Glasgow-based company putting Scotland’s first satellite into space, has been awarded a major grant by one of the UK’s most prestigious scientific bodies.

Stephen has been awarded the acclaimed Industrial Fellowship by The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, one of only eight fellowships granted by the body every year.

The Fellowship, worth £80,000, helps pay for tuition and travel expenses as well as part of the fellow’s salary to allow them to study for a PhD while working in industry.

The Royal Commission, established by Prince Albert to stage the Great Exhibition of 1851 at Crystal Palace, supports developments in science and technology.

Previous winners include Professor Peter Higgs, winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics for his work on the Higgs boson particle.

At Clyde Space, Stephen was jointly responsible for the proposal and implementation of the CubeSat programme, UKube-1, the first ever UK Space Agency commissioned nanosatellite. It is scheduled for launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, aboard a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket in February.

As technical lead on the project, Stephen was awarded the Fellowship to further his work on nanosatellites with the aim of developing niche business opportunities involving quantum technology, distributed imaging and biosciences.

Stephen, from Glasgow, graduated with a 1st in Avionics and Aerospace Systems Engineering from the University of Manchester in 2005 before going on to specialise in space systems at Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, and the University of Tokyo.  He joined University of Strathclyde in 2008 under a knowledge transfer agreement with Clyde Space with the goal of developing a comprehensive space systems capability within the consortium.

Stephen said: “It is time to explore the opportunities this brings and maximise return for the company and UK economy. For me, the Fellowship provides the opportunity to return to the world of academic research and gain my PhD, while retaining a foothold in the commercial world.”

Steve’s project aims to further the UKube philosophy of open access to space for novel research and business opportunity through collaboration simplifying, accelerating and standardising development tools and processes.

Bernard Taylor, Commission Chairman, said: “The Commission aims to encourage innovation across the breadth of British industry and funds the development of profitable and patented technologies. We congratulate Stephen on his success so far and look forward to following his success in the future.”

Science minister David Willets added: “The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK is the best place in the world to do science. To achieve this we must support the development of scientific ideas into commercially viable and profitable technologies. These in turn drive the economy and keep the UK ahead in the global race.

“The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 has been supporting this aim for a number of years. I would like to congratulate all the talented young scientists and engineers who have taken part in the Fellowships Award Ceremony. Their achievements, and ambitious plans for the future, show the diversity of talent and innovation that exists across the UK.”

Clyde Space CEO Craig Clark said: “The Industrial Fellowship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 is a fantastic scheme as it opens the opportunity to conduct long term research and capability expansion that we would not normally be able to undertake at Clyde Space.

“Stephen’s contribution to the UKube-1 mission has been outstanding and he fully deserves to be selected for the fellowship and I would like to thank and congratulate Stephen for his hard work on the project.

“The fellowship will focus on innovative approaches to enabling advanced CubeSat and nanosatellite missions within the UK and beyond and will also enable Clyde Space and the University of Strathclyde to continue to work together in advancing the field of miniature space.”

The death of Nelson Mandela has stirred so many emotions that I felt I had to record some personal observations on how he influenced both my personal and business life.

My first encounter with South Africa was soon after I qualified as a Chartered Accountant and, newly married, my wife Maria and I set off to live for two and half years in Johannesburg. It was October 1981 and the city was a huge financial centre.

I was aware of the apartheid but was never overtly political. My passion was to succeed in business. Naively, and very embarrassingly, apartheid never really entered my thoughts.

We loved the country, the people and the weather and had an amazing time. The business experience was superb.  However, it was very easy for whites to live there segregated. We did hear of Mandela from the UK but not in SA as all discussion of him was banned.

We left SA in April 1984 having made great friends with many whites and colored people (as they were designated by the government). Black people were far too apprehensive to take you at face value and become friends.  Acquaintances yes, but friends?

Fast forward to the release of Mandela in 1990. Like everyone else, we were transfixed by the TV reports. His statements of reconciliation were extraordinary. Our expectations were high but like most people we could not envisage what transpired.

Once back in Scotland, South Africa was like a drug- we could not get enough of it.

I was working as a Finance Director of an international metals company which did business in South Africa so my contact with the country had been maintained.

Then, in October 1993, Mandela was to visit Scotland to accept the honour of becoming a Freeman of the City of Glasgow. I have read many great articles on this visit but the one in The Herald by David Pratt was especially good.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/the-ties-that-bound-nelson-mandela-and-scotland.22886295

As part of the visit, the Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM) and the CBI were to hold a joint reception in the Hilton Hotel. We were invited because of our business links to the country.

At the last minute, the CBI pulled out and some businesses did not attend. We never found out why.

Unfazed, Brian Filling, chair of the AAM in Scotland, took over all responsibility and the event went ahead.  We arrived expecting 500 or so people in a large reception hall, all hoping to get a glimpse of “Madiba”.  In fact, the reception had been kept very small and was attended by around 40 people – students, business people, AAM members and others.

Mandela arrived (accompanied by his doctor to make sure he didn’t overdo it) and with Brian Filling at his side started making his way around everyone in the room.  Half way through, he was asked to make a speech.  I will never forget the charisma, the inspiration and the effect of his speech which almost left me tearful.

We had a ten to fifteen minutes discussion with Mr Mandela. He was respectful, knowledgeable about business and the needs of investment. He was especially keen on asking when we were moving back to South Africa. He wanted us to return to live and bring up our children there, as the new South Africa needed all the help it could get from black and white people. He was serious!

We both remember the twinkle and mischievous look he had in his eyes. He took Maria’s hand, bandaged after a small operation, and held it while he spoke with us. Charming, lovely and definitely a man who had an affinity with the ladies.

He left to huge applause with everyone uplifted but humbled by this amazing gentleman.  A true inspiration for me.

We continue to visit South Africa regularly.

Hugh Stewart

T.O.M. chairman Hugh Stewart said today he was delighted by the company’s performance over the last year after it posted results showing turnover soaring by 62%.

Mr Stewart said the vehicle rental firm had trebled in size in the last three years and the latest figures reflected the “exceptional service” it provided.

Turnover at the Airdrie-based company surged from £38.4million to £62.4m to the year ended March 31 after an ambitious growth drive in the north of Scotland and Manchester.

Mr Stewart, who backs T.O.M. through his investment vehicle Coralinn LLP, said: “We are implementing our long term growth strategy which saw further substantial growth in sales and operating profitability in the year.

“We opened new facilities in Aberdeen and Nairn as part of our relationship with Mercedes Van and Truck and at the same time opened our first facility in England in Manchester.”

T.O.M. acquired the Aberdeen-based commercial vehicle division of John R Weir from the Arnold Clark dealership chain in September last year, opened a depot in Manchester in March and in the summer established a new site at Newmains, Lanarkshire. Customer reaction to all the developments has been “very favourable”.

There has also been a £350,000 investment in the company’s main site in Airdrie which included a revamp of its new parts retail area.

The expansion has seen staff numbers grow by about 100 to around 350 and 1124 vehicles were added to the fleet over the year bringing the current number to 4557.

Pre-tax profit of £1.3m was achieved despite a challenging year for many T.O.M. customers.

The directors said: “The macro-economic conditions did not improve meaning nearly all customers within the various business segments continue to experience cash flow pressures.

“However, the strategy implemented by the board to adapt to these challenges has proved appropriate.”

The annual report anticipates continued growth, turnover and profitability in the current year.

Mr Stewart said: “This year is progressing well and we have seen further growth in sales and profits.”

Clyde Space, the Glasgow-based company putting Scotland’s first satellite into space, has announced record sales of £1.65million for the last six months.

This is more than double the sales figure for the same period of last year and is the best performance since the company was founded by CEO Craig Clark in 2005.

Craig revealed the figures as he prepared to ship the satellite, UKube-1, to Moscow this week for launch aboard a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket on February 10.

From Moscow the satellite will be transported to Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for the launch, which had been scheduled for earlier this year.

Clyde Space is a leading producer of small satellite, nanosatellite and CubeSat systems – fully-functional satellites that ‘piggy-back’ on other launches to minimise costs and boost the commercial viability of space research.

Craig said he was delighted the launch date was now fast-approaching. “The sooner it’s launched the better because it will show our capabilities. We’ve been at the mercy of other people’s programmes and that has caused the postponements so roll on February 10.

“UKube-1 will be the first of many nanosatellites produced at Clyde Space and is a fantastic mission for us to demonstrate our capabilities as a spacecraft mission lead.”

Craig used the occasion to reveal that sales of Clyde Space’s products had more than doubled since this time last year and to confirm a new $200,000 order for a CubeSat platform from the National University of Singapore, the latest in a string of prestigious, global clients.

These include MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the US Air Force, NASA, aerospace giants SELEX and Raytheon and a list of other companies in the UK, USA, Europe and the Far East.

Clyde Space supplies them with a range of products ranging from attitude and determination control systems for CubeSats to high efficiency solar panels that can operate in space.

Craig, who was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List this year for services to innovation and technology, said: “Most systems used in satellites are very expensive but what we provide is far more cost effective. What we’re doing will enable more missions with more complex objectives and make them more accessible.”

Clyde Space is also set to unveil the third generation of the company’s highly successful CubeSat Electrical Power System (EPS).

Since developing the first commercially available EPS in 2006, the company has become one of the most successful suppliers of small satellite systems in the world and has won 40% of the global market for nanosatellites (CubeSats)

The UKube-1 nanosatellite was designed and manufactured by Clyde Space at their high-tech facility at the West of Scotland Science Park, Glasgow.

It is one of the most advanced of its kind and the mission is the pilot for a collaborative, national CubeSat programme bringing together UK industry and academia to fly educational packages, test new technologies and carry out new space research quickly and efficiently.

The small but highly sophisticated satellites can carry multiple payloads and their applications can be used from anything from astrophysics research to tracking ships or wildfires or taking high-resolution photographs

Payloads in UKube-1 include the first GPS device aimed at measuring plasmaspheric space weather, a camera that will take images of the earth and test the effect of radiation on space hardware using a new generation of imaging sensor and an experiment to demonstrate the feasibility of using cosmic radiation to improve the security of communications satellites and to flight test lower cost electronic systems.

It will also carry a payload made up of five experiments that UK students and the public can interact with and an outreach programme that also allows school children to interact with the spacecraft.

ONE of Scotland’s fastest-growing e-commerce businesses has launched a new venture extending its current products to include top-quality branded workwear.

After two years establishing itself in the UK and Europe as a leading supplier of automotive, and outdoor leisure clothing and equipment, Livingston-based Indigo E-Commerce has applied its specialist knowledge to answer a growing demand from SME’s for quick, reliable next-day delivery of everything from bulk orders to a single pair of boots with a new project workwearzone.co.uk.

Indigo E-Commerce Managing Director Iain Sked said as a new web-based mail order business, workwearzone.co.uk was positioned to supply clients with all their workwear and corporate clothing needs quickly and efficiently and without the need for searching out and queueing at trade counters.

At its base in Livingston, West Lothian, workwearzone.co.uk carries large stocks from leading brands including Carhartt, Dickies, Dewalt, Helly Hansen and Scruffs.

And thanks to the location of workwearzone.co.uk next to the M8 motorway and the proximity of both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, orders can be dispatched within minutes of being received.

Mr Sked said: “We understand that successful businesses can’t spare the time driving around looking for an outlet that offers a range of products to meet their needs.

“Workwearzone.co.uk is a dedicated supplier which provides that service for them at the click of a mouse button and at prices which traditional trade stores find hard to match and we deliver free on all purchases within Europe.

“We understand that quality, functionality, comfort and durability are an absolute necessity for workwear and our service allows firms, no matter how big or small, to shop with confidence, safe in the knowledge that the products we offer deliver all these crucial elements at a competitive price.

“Our websites are uncomplicated and easy to use and backed up by the level of service we expect to receive ourselves.”

Indigo E-Commerce’s clients already include local authorities across the UK, and nationally known companies including Anglian Windows and specialist building suppliers James Frew.

The company, which is targeting further expansion later this year, is backed by private equity investment company Coralinn LLP headed by Hugh Stewart OBE.

Mr Stewart said: “Indigo is exactly the type of company Coralinn invests in. It is a fast growing Scottish company with great growth prospects and a really talented management team.”

Mr Stewart co-founded the Livingston-headquartered Caledonian Alloys Group and grew the company into a$200million company with 13 locations worldwide before selling it to the US-based Precision Castparts Corporation in 2007.

A new concept in website development has been launched by IT veteran Chic McSherry to help companies spread the cost of upgrading their websites.

iPort Marketing Solutions, whose UK clients include NHS Scotland, West Coast Trains and grocery chain SPAR, has developed a new digital marketing program aimed at helping companies keep up to date with the latest technology at a time when many of them are facing tough economic challenges.

Mr McSherry, who is based in Glasgow, said companies whose digital strategies did not keep pace with the latest developments risked being disadvantaged in a highly competitive market place.

He said: “We are now moving into a new phase for the internet – one where mobile technology is generating as much traffic as the traditional desktop access. New standards are being set by search engines, operating systems, content provider and software platforms.

“There is a growing and pressing need for businesses to look closely at their existing websites and begin a planned programme to upgrade their sites in order to take advantage of these changes in technology before it is forced upon them.

“We recognise that in these difficult times many businesses are finding it difficult to free up budgets to make the necessary upgrades to their websites and so are missing out on the opportunity to increase their business right now.”

Mr McSherry said that rather than facing a large upfront bill for upgrading and redesigning websites, iPort Marketing Solutions’ new Digital Marketing Program allowed companies to spread the cost of the entire development over the lifetime of the project.

The package can also include all the Search Engine Optimisation, support, hosting and ongoing maintenance.

Mr McSherry added: “We want to make things as easy as possible. At a time when many companies are struggling to get loans from the banks, this package allows them to treat what would normally be a significant capital purchase as a monthly operational cost and therefore match the benefits to the expenditure.

“At all times companies will retain ownership and copyright of all the materials and content they provide for the website.”

The launch of the Digital Marketing Program is Mr McSherry’s third major project this year.

The entrepreneur, who founded Glasgow-based iPort Group International, recently opened an office in the tourist resort of Cabo San Lucas in Baja California in Mexico, after spotting a business opportunity while holidaying in the area.

The move into the Mexican marketplace followed his firm’s launch of the latest version of its iPort Business Platform which enables businesses to use the web in a more integrated way to generate traffic and sales.

The iPort Group is backed by Coralinn Private Equity, the investment vehicle of Scottish entrepreneur Hugh Stewart OBE.

Mr Stewart said Coralinn has worked with iPort for the past two years to develop and implement their business strategy and this launch is the latest in a line of innovative products.

He added: “The new web support package from iPort Marketing Solutions answers a need for many companies who, in the current financial climate, can’t get all the backing they require from their banks.

“Information technology is a strategic resource for all companies and those who neglect it in today’s highly competitive environment are putting their businesses at risk.”

Craig Clark, founder and CEO of Glasgow-based Clyde Space Ltd, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for Services to Innovation and Technology.

He said he was: “Absolutely delighted to be awarded with an MBE and I hope that this honour can help to raise awareness of the UK space industry and to encourage more children to decide on science and technology based careers.

Clyde Space has built Scotland’s first satellite, UKube-1, which will be sent into space aboard a Russian Soyuz-2 rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in September.

Craig founded Clyde Space in 2005 with £50,000 he raised himself and the company is now one of the most successful suppliers of small satellite systems in the world. He has won 40% of the global market for nanosatellites, known as CubeSats.

The small but highly sophisticated satellites can carry multiple payloads and their applications can be used from anything from astrophysics research to tracking ships or wildfires or taking high-resolution photographs.

The company works closely with the UK Space Agency and Its global customer base includes the likes of NASA, US Air Force and MIT.

The company’s growth continues as it develops cutting-edge products for the space market and it now employs more than 20 highly skilled, full-time staff.

Before setting up Clyde Space, Craig was employed by for Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) for 11 years from 1994 where he worked as a technical manager on more than 20 space missions.

Craig has a BEng in Electrical Power Engineering from the University of Glasgow and an MSc in Satellite Engineering from the University of Surrey.

Married with two children, he lives in Glasgow.

An ambitious Scottish company specialising in the control and management of superalloy and titanium from the aviation industry is targeting new global markets by exhibiting at the prestigious Paris Air Show for the first time.

IMET Alloys, which has bases in Livingston, West Lothian, and the United States aerospace industry hub of Monroe, North Carolina, provides materials management solutions helping companies control their superalloy and titanium scrap, known in the industry as “revert”.

The company is backed by Scottish-based Coralinn Private Equity, the investment vehicle of Caledonian Alloys co-founder Hugh Stewart OBE. Mr Stewart is non-executive chairman of IMET.

From its European base in Livingston, IMET currently works across the aerospace, oil and gas and land-based turbine manufacturing industries in Europe and is constantly looking to expand its presence. CEO Ruaraidh Williamson said exhibiting at the International Paris Air Show next month was an ideal platform for introducing the company to a wider range of potential customers.

Mr Williamson said: “Working throughout the superalloy and titanium manufacturing supply chains and after useable life markets, IMET maximises the value of material to the generator, offers the mills a cost saving over the prime raw material and helps to conserve precious natural resources.”

Although only formed in 2011, IMET’s team are some of the most experienced in the industry, with backgrounds combining melting, manufacturing, recycling and raw material management. The company has been adding new talent through the Scottish Enterprise Talent Scotland Graduate Placement Program.

Hugh Stewart said: “IMET Alloys is an exciting new business with several unique offerings for the aerospace and oil and gas supply chains.  The people, relationships and systems have been developed to allow corporates to drive value to their business.

IMET Alloys is also a powerful example of people development.  Ruaraidh Williamson was the first member of the Caledonian Alloys Graduate programme.”

The company will be represented at the Paris Air Show, which takes place from June 17-20, by Mr Williamson, and General Manager of European operations Stephen Dickson.