B2B News on Applegate B2B Platform

Online business services are becoming more efficient as internet shoppers reveal that they are more satisfied than ever with their online buying experience, according to a report. The eCustomerServiceIndex white paper report from eDigitalResearch and IMRG shows that user satisfaction surged to 83.4...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 17/06/2013

British drugmaker AstraZeneca has announced that it is to fork out $1.15 billion ( 742 million) to buy US-based company Pearl Therapeutics. Pearl is a privately held company which develops drugs for respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The acquisition...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 17/06/2013

Companies marketing their business services are likely to consider digital advertising as the best way to drive sales, but research commissioned by Adobe suggests that this may not be the most effective advertising method. Findings from its Click Here: State of Online Advertising report revealed...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 14/06/2013

Unemployment in the UK has fallen by 5,000 from November 2012 to January 2013, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). This means that the number of people out of work has dropped to 2.51 million, resulting in an unemployment rate of 7.8 per cent. This is unchanged from the previous...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 14/06/2013

The government has launched an independent review into the UK's offshore oil and gas industry, with the purpose of improving the sector's future economic recovery. Sir Ian Wood, recently-retired chair of UK oil services company Wood Group has been set to task by the secretary of state for energy and...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 13/06/2013

The UK textiles and clothing industry is set for a boost following the creation of a new parliamentary group formed to give textile manufacturers a voice. Bradford East MP David Ward has been instrumental in forging the pressure group which includes nearly 40 cross-party MPs and lords, with...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 13/06/2013

Farmers in the East Midlands are feeling hopeful about the state of the food and agribusiness industry in the coming year, according to chartered accountants Duncan Toplis. Its 2013 agricultural survey was conducted with 107 agricultural businesses across the region via telephone. It aimed to find...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 13/06/2013

A 15-megawatt solar energy park at Glebe Farm, near Bedford, has been given the go ahead by planning chiefs at Bedford Borough Council. The project, developed by Edinburgh-based vento ludens alongside renewable energy project management company Dulas, will be built across 27 hectares of land making...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 12/06/2013

International infrastructure group Balfour Beatty has won a contract worth more than 110 million to build the 43-storey Providence Tower based in London's Docklands. Landor, a subsidiary of the Ballymore Group, appointed the constructor to deliver the residential scheme, which is set to be tallest...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 11/06/2013

The UK employment landscape remains 'firmly positive' with a national outlook of five per cent for the third quarter of 2013, which is close to six per cent reported in the first half of the year, according to recruitment company ManpowerGroup. The findings, based on responses from more than 2,000...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 11/06/2013

Scientists from Imperial College London have discovered a method that could transform the production of plastic electronics . Exploiting the way crystals are grown, otherwise known as crystallisation, would allow engineers to decide on the properties they want ranging from toughness to transparency....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 11/06/2013

Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled its new road safety plan which aims to cut the number of deaths and seriously wounded on the capital's roads. The Safe Streets for London scheme intends to reduce the number of fatalities or grievously wounded by 40 per cent by 2020. Over the next ten years...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 10/06/2013

An increasing number of employers intend to hire more staff, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) May JobsOutlook survey. The survey is an accumulation of responses from 600 employers questioned about their hiring intentions over the next quarter and the next year. It...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 07/06/2013

Retailers would be wise to ensure that their mobile business services have the necessary capabilities for customers after new figures highlighted the popularity of mobile shopping. Statistics from IMRG (Interactive Media in Retail Group) and Capgemini show that one in five online retail sales were...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 07/06/2013

The UK manufacturing sector reached a 14-month high of 51.3 in May, up from 50.2 in April, according to the Markit/CIPS (Chartered Institute of Purchasing Supply Purchasing) Manager's Index. A figure above 50 is an indicator of growth, so the figure of 51.3 conveys a slight expansion in the sector...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 07/06/2013

The construction industry experienced a boost in output levels in May due to residential building activity, according to the Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers' Index. The data, which measures overall output in the construction sector, climbed to 50.8, from 49.4 in April, which is its...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 06/06/2013

Retail volume sales sank at their fastest rate in more than a year in May, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The monthly Distributive Trades Survey revealed that retail sales experienced the sharpest decline for 16 months, indicating persistent weakened retail activity so far...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 06/06/2013

MB Aerospace, based in Burnley, has acquired a US engine component manufacturer in a multi-million dollar deal. The aerospace engineering company secured Delta Industries, based in Hartford, Connecticut, which had annual revenues in excess of $60 million last year. The acquisition expands MB...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 05/06/2013

Scottish farm businesses struggling to stay afloat following the dismal winter weather are being urged to apply for the Weather Aid scheme. The 6 million initiative launched by the Scottish government offers financial support to farmers who suffered losses due to the recent extreme weather...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 04/06/2013

Incentives should be put in place to encourage the use of recycled plastics in the UK manufacturing industry, according to the British Plastics Federation (BPF). This proposal has been put forward in a paper by the BPF s Recycling Group (BPFRG) which outlines the importance of securing end markets...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 04/06/2013

The UK government is investing 2 million from its Regional Growth Fund (RGF) for research into the development of a breakthrough electronics material known as Gallium Nitride (GaN). The funding is intended to support a private sector investment of over 7.5 million, in addition to safeguarding over...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 03/06/2013

The UK construction industry has shrunk by ten per cent since the coalition came into power, according to an analysis of official figures published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Construction output has reached its lowest level since 1998 but had the government halted the industry's decline, it...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 03/06/2013

Jaguar Land Rover has achieved record high pre-tax annual profits of 1.67 billion, up 11 per cent from last year. The record results helped soften a 36 per cent fall in profits at the company's parent group, Tata Motors. The West Midlands car maker announced that global sales were up 22 per cent to...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 31/05/2013

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has bolstered its vaccines business with the acquisition of Okairos AG, a Swiss-based specialist developer of vaccine platform technologies. The British pharmaceutical company purchased Okairos for 215 million in cash. Okairos developed an innovative platform technology that...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 31/05/2013

The OGN Group has completed the first North Sea oil platform custom-made in the UK for at least 25 years. The topside deck of the construction project is to be towed offshore to the North Sea Forties Field, located ten miles off Aberdeen, for Apache Corporation, a US oil and gas exploration and...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 30/05/2013

Small construction businesses have been given a cash boost from a government pilot scheme targeted at small businesses and sole traders to secure credit. Two hundred firms have already benefited from the scheme which was originally aimed at the trade users of the Kingfisher group of stores Screwfix...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 30/05/2013

Joseph Heler has ploughed more than 750,000 into a cutting edge whey processing facility at its Cheshire site. The significant investment will give the independent regional cheese producer the means to develop a new line of nutritional products. The venture is an alliance with dairy nutrition...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/05/2013

Business secretary Vince Cable and leaders from the aerospace industry will gather today at the Royal Academy of Engineering (May 29th) to celebrate the aerospace Master's (MSc) bursary scheme. Dr Cable will be speaking at the event along with Robin Southwell, CEO of EADS UK and president of ADS -...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/05/2013

Online shopping is growing in dominance with the average monthly spend rising from 56 to 113 in the past decade, according to broadbandchoices.co.uk. This figure is set to soar as more than one in four shoppers said they expect to spend more online in 2013 than they have done in previous years....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/05/2013

British manufacturers are unconvinced that young people in the UK have the necessary attributes to succeed in the manufacturing industry. A poll carried out by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) found that 38 per cent of apprentices, graduates and recruits don t have the required work...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/05/2013

The government has outlined plans to lower transport congestion and boost growth in the Lower Thames area. Roads minister Stephen Hammond explained that the current A282 Dartford-Thurrock river crossing is subject to excessive capacity which is leading to major congestion. This in turn is having...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 28/05/2013

Cyber crime is costing small British firms up to 800 million a year due to fraud and online crime, according to research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The report entitled Cyber Security and Fraud: The Impact on Small Businesses, found that 41 per cent of members were targets for...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 28/05/2013

The University of Aberdeen is joining forces with the University of Dundee and Robert Gordon University to set up a centre that specialises in offshore wind energy. Taking advantage of location and pooling their expertise and experience, the universities have teamed up to launch the Offshore...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 24/05/2013

NHS England has given the go ahead for 15 new Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs) to be set up across the country. The network aims to put innovation at the heart of NHS services by bringing together academic and scientific communities as well as industry to improve patient outcomes. AHSNs will...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 24/05/2013

The UK's renewables sector has benefitted to the tune of 29 billion over the last three years, according to new government research. It revealed that large amounts of money have been invested into projects across the country since the start of 2010, helping to support up to 30,000 jobs in the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 23/05/2013

Confidence is growing in the manufacturing sector with output expected to increase over the next three months, according to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). Despite the bright outlook, its monthly industrial trends survey reveals that output growth remained flat over the three months to...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 23/05/2013

Major construction works are underway in the Royal Victoria Dock area of London as the Crossrail project continues apace. Building experts have revealed that 13 million litres of water have been drained from the dock to allow for construction work to take place on a disused tunnel. Indeed, the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 23/05/2013

Construction company Carillion has won the 400 million job to deliver the first phase of the redevelopment at Battersea Power Station. The project known as Circus West will consist of 866 apartments, retail facilities, theatre space and business studios. Located to the west of the iconic Battersea...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 23/05/2013

The number of IT job vacancies in the first quarter of 2013 has jumped for the fourth year running, according to figures from CWJobs.co.uk. The data indicates that the IT job industry is recovering as employment opportunities increase to pre-recession levels. IT jobs are just 15 per cent below what...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/05/2013

BT has signed a deal with energy supplier npower to source 100 per cent of its electricity in the UK from renewable sources. The communications giant has calculated that this move, which is part of its Better Future strategy, would amount to carbon emission savings of around one million tons a year....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/05/2013

Retailers could look at increasing the number of business services they offer after new research emphasised the pulling power of online shopping. The latest IMRG-Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index revealed that online retail sales grew by 16 per cent year-on-year last month - an ongoing trend in the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 21/05/2013

Building activity across central London has reached a four-year high, according to the latest London Crane Survey by Deloitte Real Estate. The construction of office space has climbed eight per cent over the past six months with 9.7 million sq ft of office space currently being built. Since hitting...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 21/05/2013

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Save the Children have forged a global partnership with the aim of saving the lives of one million children across Africa. Both organisations will pool their resources and expertise to make vaccines, medicines, health workers and nutritious food...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 20/05/2013

Demand for plastics materials in the UK last year rose by 1.2 per cent to 3.75 million tonnes, according to figures from trade association PlasticsEurope. Packaging made up the largest share at 44.3 per cent, followed by building and construction at 19.2 per cent and automotive at 5.9 per cent. The...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 17/05/2013

A group of electronic engineers and computer scientists from four of the country's leading universities have joined forces in a bid to create the next wave of energy-efficient computing systems. The 5.6 million project is dubbed PRiME (Power-efficient, Reliable, Many-core Embedded systems) and...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 17/05/2013

UK car manufacturing increased by 16.6 per cent to 110,033 units in April, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This upturn follows a slow start in the first quarter which was affected by an early Easter and prolonged doubt across Europe. Year-to-date production has...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 16/05/2013

Developing renewable projects such as onshore wind, wave and tidal in the Scottish islands could go a long way in helping the UK and Scotland achieve its 2020 renewable energy targets. This is according to a report published by the UK and Scottish governments which acknowledged that there could be...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 16/05/2013

The outlook for the oil and gas sector is positive with investment, activity and confidence in the North Sea on the increase, according to a survey. The 18th Aberdeen Grampian Chamber of Commerce Oil and Gas survey reveals that the changes to tax allowances and a growth in global demand has resulted...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 16/05/2013

Developer Land Securities has appointed Mace to build the 768 million Victoria Scheme in London's West End as part of the ongoing reinvention of Victoria. The contract, secured by the company, is worth 380 million. This follows two years pre- construction advice and the transmission of utility...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 16/05/2013

The number of people securing permanent employment with the help of recruitment services increased for a seventh successive month in April, according to a study. The report by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) revealed that temporary job vacancies fell for the first time in...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 15/05/2013

The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has revealed that skills shortages are still a concern for the construction industry, hindering growth prospects. A report from the organisation revealed that 82 per cent of construction professionals questioned say that they lack skilled and experienced...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 14/05/2013

The UK has been ranked as one of the top three countries for future manufacturing profit growth by global manufacturing executives. KPMG's fourth annual Global Manufacturing Outlook report placed the UK in front of the proven manufacturing giants Germany and Japan and the up-and-coming economies of...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 14/05/2013

British scientists claim to have created a class of wheat which could be the answer to the shortage plaguing the food agribusiness industry. The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) has merged modern wheat varieties with an ancient strain to develop a 'superwheat' which has the potential...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 14/05/2013

Low cost carrier easyJet and its partners Airbus and Nicarnica are making the final preparations in anticipation of testing the new Airborne Volcanic Object Imaging Detector (Avoid) technology. The purpose of the new aerospace warning system is to make pilots aware of volcanic ash in the atmosphere....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 13/05/2013

Plans to improve oil and gas training facilities in Scotland have been given a boost with a support package double the original amount, the first minister has announced. During a visit to the ASET industry training platform at Aberdeen, Alex Salmond revealed the total for Energy Skills Scotland...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 13/05/2013

Scotland's oil and gas supply chain exports jumped by 8.4 per cent in 2011-12 to 8.2 billion which is nearly double the rate from the year before. The Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) report revealed that international activity made up almost 50 per...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 10/05/2013

Galliford Try has secured a trio of construction jobs in Greater Manchester totalling 36.5 million. RED Property Services has given the green light to the housebuilding and construction group to construct the 13 million Old Trafford Supporters Club hotel, which will be located across from the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 09/05/2013

Zara Phillips has launched an engineering scholarship programme in a bid to encourage more young women into the industry. The campaign, which was launched at the Royal Windsor Horse Show yesterday (May 8th), will award a 9,000 bursary to three female students or apprentices over the course of three...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 09/05/2013

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has announced that it will be proposing new quality standards for the education hiring sector. Recruitment services could soon have a quality assurance attached to job searches, creating the highest level of confidence around the process. This,...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 08/05/2013

UK car registration numbers increased by 14.8 per cent to 163,357 units in April, suggesting manufacturing and engineering is continuing to grow as well. Research published by the SMMT - the motor industry body - found that registrations also grew in the first four months of the year by 8.9 per cent...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 08/05/2013

The Scotland renewables sector has received a welcome funding boost with news that Scottish Enterprise has handed Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) around 6.04 million. Indeed, the firm is continuing to work on plans for a 7MW offshore wind turbine prototype at the Fife Energy Park, with funding...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 08/05/2013

Recruitment services in the City of London are recovering again after a difficult few years, according to new research. Finance recruiter Astbury Marsden revealed that the number of new City roles per month is at its highest since October last year, with month-on-month increases also occurring in...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 07/05/2013

Morgan Sindall and Muse Developments will be working together in the coming months on the redevelopment of St Nicholas House in Aberdeen, it has been announced. The firms announced their appointment by Aberdeen City Council earlier today (May 7th), creating new office, retail and housing premises in...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 07/05/2013

The manufacturing industry is set for growth in the coming months, according to research published this morning (May 7th). Small and medium-sized firms questioned by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) revealed that they are expecting growth in the second quarter of the year, despite a...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 07/05/2013

A number of British soft wheat businesses are making gains by indulging in the opportunities of the export market, estimated to be worth around 482 million. As Farmers Weekly reports, research from the British Cereal Exports (BCE) has suggested demand for soft biscuit wheat is increasing across...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 03/05/2013

By 2018, technology and electronics enthusiasts will have stopped purchasing tablets and left the market, the boss of Blackberry has said. Speaking to Bloomberg, chief executive of the smartphone maker Thorsten Heins stated that he thinks in five years time, there will be no reason to own a tablet....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 03/05/2013

Government minister Edward Davey is to speak at an Oil and Gas UK event next week aimed at showcasing how the UK can deliver a successful energy sector. Indeed, the minister will be taking part in a panel session next Thursday (May 9th) entitled Delivering a Successful UK Offshore Oil and Gas...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 02/05/2013

Medium-sized businesses need more support if the UK is to reclaim more of its offshore manufacturing , according to new research. The Royal Society of Arts (RSA) believes that several factors, including rising fuel costs, mean more businesses are looking to send manufacturing abroad. However, the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 02/05/2013

The renewables sector was given another welcome boost over the last few days with news that the European Union will be helping to fund a tidal project. The DeltaStream installation, run and organised by Tidal Energy Ltd, has been given around 1.6 million in funding to help get it up and running....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 01/05/2013

The British aerospace industry could be set for a further boost after figures published this morning (May 2nd) revealed that air passenger traffic is on the rise. According to figures from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global air passenger numbers grew by 5.9 per cent in March...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 02/05/2013

Recruitment services look set to grow over the next few months, according to the latest JobsOutlook from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC). The findings, detailing the opinions of 600 employers, revealed that most firms are looking to expand their staff numbers over both the short...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 01/05/2013

LG Electronics has unveiled a new curved television that will potentially revolutionise devices of this kind in the coming years. Up until now, a traditional television has only featured a straight face, but a new curved fa ade is likely to improve user experience and increase device sales....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 30/04/2013

Crest Nicholson has been named as the company in charge with the redevelopment of Arborfield Garrison in the south of England, potentially bringing hundreds of construction jobs to the area. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which between them own the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/04/2013

Britain's business and energy minister Michael Fallon has welcomed the publication of a new report into the potential of hydrogen-powered vehicles in the UK. Forming part of a wider move towards adopting renewables in order to boost the country's energy security levels while also reducing the size...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/04/2013

Britain's economy started to grow again over the first three months of the year, though the construction industry is still lagging behind other sectors, the latest official statistics show. With economists holding their breath for news of whether or not the UK had suffered a second consecutive...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/04/2013

Both employers and young jobseekers are struggling to come to terms with recent shifts in recruitment services , a new report from the Chartered institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) has noted. With thousands of school leavers and university graduates looking for work, the latest research...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/04/2013

The UK's business services industry will be put on show to the world next month when financial leaders and chief executives descend on London to discuss trade and investment. Industry experts and those from the world financial sector will be on hand to deliver information on how business investment...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 29/04/2013

Human resources departments represent the key behind making business services more profitable, according to new research out this week. KPMG, the accountancy firm, explained that collecting and presenting key financial data is key to getting everyone working in the same direction. It believes that...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 26/04/2013

Work is finally about to start on a major new mixed-use scheme in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, two years after construction was supposed to begin. Contractor Miller has commenced work at the 200 million project in the Stephenson Quarter, around the Central Station. This had been originally pencilled in for...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/04/2013

Workloads in the construction sector are on the rise again, according to new research by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). The organisation's latest survey found that ten per cent more surveyors said that workloads are rising than at the same time last year. This is down to a...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/04/2013

The aerospace industry is set to receive a boost for all those hoping to be airline pilots with the announcement on April 20th that a new Higher Apprenticeship scheme is set to launch, which will also help individuals gain access to funding. Such jobseekers can encounter problems as the sector is...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/04/2013

Around nine kilometres of extra tunnels will be constructed in London as part of designs for the high-speed two rail network, according to those involved with the project. The infrastructure, which will be situated between Ealing and Northolt, will be built following public consultation and lobbying...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 24/04/2013

The Engineering Council has revealed that the number of people it has registered is continuing to level out after a spell of decreases. Indeed, the organisation revealed that technician numbers continued to rise last year, with a 21.5 per cent increase compared to the same time in 2011. Furthermore,...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 23/04/2013

The car manufacturing industry still has plenty of work to do to encourage growth in the electric vehicle sector, according to new research showing sales are falling short of expectations. Indeed, the RAC Foundation revealed that the majority of industry experts believe the country will not have 1.7...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 23/04/2013

A new wave energy terminal situated off the coast of Cornwall has the potential to create hundreds of new jobs within the burgeoning UK renewables industry, it has been argued. Coming as MPs from across all parties debate ways of significantly reducing the carbon emissions caused by energy...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/04/2013

Scientists in Canada have reported making a breakthrough that could help revolutionise the clothing and textiles industry. Some 20 years ago, consumers all over the world went crazy for items of clothing, and in particular T-shirts and sweatshirts, that changed colour with heat. Now, a team working...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/04/2013

A third of small businesses in Britain's construction sector have cut worker numbers in the last four months, according to research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The organisation found that workloads among these firms have dropped significantly since the start of the year - the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/04/2013

Recruitment services were increasingly popular last month, according to the latest Report on Jobs from Bank of Scotland. The organisation found that both permanent and temporary placement numbers grew in Scotland across the month, suggesting more people are finding work opportunities. Its Labour...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/04/2013

A lack of economic growth is leading to a slowdown in labour market growth, according to new research from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the ManpowerGroup. Their labour market update showed that the recruitment services industry is weakening despite recent positivity, with growth...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 19/04/2013

Work on a new 31-storey residential tower in the north London borough of Islington is set to get underway by the end of the month. Groveworld, the development managers of the project, has confirmed that Ardmore has won the 60 million contract to build the tower, which will boast 190 private...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 19/04/2013

The UK's unemployment rate has increased by 70,000 to 2.56 million in the three months to February, suggesting more people will be in need of recruitment services in the coming months. A weakening economy was named as being behind the rise, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 18/04/2013

Kobo has unveiled a new high-definition eReader that it believes will be perfect for the world's book lovers. The firm says that its new Kobo Aura HD E Ink eReader has the highest resolution of any other similar product in the market across a 6.8-inch screen, bringing even greater quality to those...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 18/04/2013

Poor weather conditions wasn't a hindrance for people looking to purchase clothing online last month, according to research published this morning (April 16th). The monthly figures showed that clothing has a strong March, growing by 15 per cent year-on-year despite a difficult start to the year for...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 18/04/2013

Solar panel use is on the rise, with Lightsource Renewable Energy announcing that it added around 130MW of capacity in the first quarter of the year through completed and commissioned projects. More than 180 million of investment was made across the three-month period, with panels installed in 34...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 17/04/2013

The government has launched a new internet toolkit designed to help start-up firms recruit new employees. Indeed, the 'Employing staff for the first time' process is aimed at helping businesses meet the relevant legal requirements involved with recruitment services . The latest version is an update...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 16/04/2013

After announcing statistics for areas in England, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released details of what it found during a recent visit to construction sites in Wales. And while the majority of those it attended were adhering to health and safety laws put forward to protect workers and...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 15/04/2013

The government needs to do more to ensure that changes to employment regulations provide help to firms recruiting people, according to the new survey. Indeed, the Financial Times reports that four-fifths of businesses believe recent changes to remove red tape and increase employment have had no...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 15/04/2013

A joint venture comprising Costain Lts, TSO and Alstom Transport have won a major new contract to fit out the tunnels of London's ambitious Crossrail project. With work on the tunnels themselves now nearing completion, Crossrail has turned its attention towards transforming them into an integral...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 15/04/2013

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that industrial production grew by one per cent in February to give a boost to the sector and the wider economy. According to the body, industrial output lifted at the same time as fears lingered over whether the country's economy is contracting,...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 12/04/2013

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has found significant failings at a minority of construction sites across the south-west. In a recent month-long campaign to look at safety on sites, the executive found 61 of the 215 locations it visited had significant failings. This led to 40 enforcement...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 12/04/2013

Digital marketing spend grew rapidly last year and surpassed the 5 billion mark across the 12-month period, according to research published this week. The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) found that mobile advertising increased by 148 per cent to 526 million compared to 203.2 million in the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 12/04/2013

Recruitment services firm Hays has announced that it saw modest growth in the UK and Ireland for its services in the first quarter of the year. Unveiling its financial figures for the first three months of 2013, the company revealed that net fees for its worldwide services fell by three per cent on...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 11/04/2013

University researchers are looking into new construction methods that would see nuclear reactors built from preassembled parts. Engineering firms Laing O'Rourke, BRE and ARUP are joining forces with researchers from Imperial College, London, to come up with the best ways of building nuclear power...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 11/04/2013

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced that an application for gas storage has been rejected because of a failure to provide geological data. Preesall, which had approached the government on the matter, has been told that it must deliver more information on the proposed...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 11/04/2013

London Array, a wind farm in the Thames Estuary, has become the world's largest after the final turbines were installed and made operational. The 175th device was put into place last weekend, meaning the site can now power up to 500,000 homes as the power is sent to the National Grid through a...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 10/04/2013

The textiles and clothing sector saw sales fall in March as the cold winter continued to linger in the run-up to Easter. Figures published by Barclaycard revealed that sales of women's clothing dropped by 10.1 per cent last month, compared to the same time last year. The same can be said for men's...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 09/04/2013

The UK is looking to review the way it stocks oil in the future to see whether a more centralised state would be more effective. Indeed, the government will be looking into whether a new efficient model can be put into place as other EU member states look to use other stocking systems. A...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 09/04/2013

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has revealed that permanent placement and temporary billing numbers increased in March as the employment market continued to surge again. Indeed, recruitment services are likely to be in higher demand in the coming months as the country's businesses...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 09/04/2013

Recruitment services are expected to expand further in the next few months after research from BDO revealed that hiring intentions have hit a 19-month high. With the UK economy still fending off the threat of a triple-dip recession, news of employment increasing will be welcomed from all quarters....

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 08/04/2013

The government is to invest millions of pounds in a new cycle network as part of plans to boost the country's transport resources. Indeed, around 78 cycle safety schemes will be put in place through 40 million of public investment, helping to improve the layout and designs in urban areas around...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 05/04/2013

EEF, the manufacturers' organisation, has welcomed the government's new report on improving skills within the sector, but urged ministers to keep up the speed of improvement. Steve Radley, director of policy at the body, said that ministers have now committed themselves to improving standards in...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 05/04/2013

Oil and Gas UK, one of the leading body's of the energy sector, has welcomed the government's latest oil and gas strategy, saying that it is a step in the right direction . Indeed, the firm said that record investment is expected in the UK's oil and gas sector this year because of changes to the tax...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 04/04/2013

New jobs are to be created in the coming months after a positive start to the year, according to new research published this week. Recruitment services firm Reed found that there was a nine per cent increase in the number of job opportunities available in the first three months of the year, compared...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 03/04/2013

US engineering firm CH2M Hill has announced that it will be adding another 500 roles to its UK operations in the next few months. The firm, which claims to be a global leader in full-service engineering, construction and operations, is looking to expand outside of its own market, with the UK the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 03/04/2013

UK banks should be using technology to re-engage with their account holders and improve the depth and quality of customer interactions, research from Accenture has revealed. The survey of 4,000 UK current account holders found that activity using branch and online channels is falling, with banks...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 28/03/2013

The government is to encourage further energy efficiency measures after agreeing with UK energy intensive industries to extend Climate Change Agreements (CCA) scheme. Indeed, targets will now be elongated to 2020 and means firms will now aim to deliver an 11 per cent energy efficiency improvement by...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 02/04/2013

The majority of employers are planning to increase or maintain their permanent staff over the next three months, according to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation's (REC) JobsOutlook survey. This is despite the fact that the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced a rise in...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 28/03/2013

A new oil and gas strategy that aims to to secure billions of pounds of future investment and create thousands of jobs will be unveiled by the government later today (March 28th). The strategy will offer investment confidence and security by setting out a clear path to exploit the UK's remaining oil...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 28/03/2013

Poor interview technique and an inability to identify appropriate skills could be holding young people back in their search for jobs, research from job site fish4jobs has revealed. The survey of more than 2,000 16 to 24-year-olds who are seeking work found that 42 per cent felt that a lack of...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 28/03/2013

Cyber security experts from British businesses are teaming up with intelligence agencies for the first time in an attempt to tackle an unprecedented wave of online attacks. The UK government is setting up an operations room in an undisclosed location in London, where a 'fusion cell' of somewhere...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 27/03/2013

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recommended Forest Lab's Colobreathe and Novartis' Tobi Podhaler as options for treating certain lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. As one of the UK s most common life-threatening inherited diseases, cystic fibrosis...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 27/03/2013

A 250 million wind farm that was strongly opposed by US tycoon Donald Trump was given the green light from the Scottish government yesterday (March 26th). The European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) project - which is a joint venture by utility company Vattenfall, engineering firm Technip...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 27/03/2013

Two Cambridge hospitals will be some of the first NHS bodies to feel the benefit of funding from the Green Investment Bank, after it was announced the institution would provide 18 million towards a biomass energy centre. The new energy innovation centre will provide heat and power to the Cambridge...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/03/2013

The costs of dealing with malware in pirated software will reach an estimated US $114 billion ( 95 billion) for global enterprises this year, a new study commissioned by Microsoft Corp and conducted by IDC has revealed. In addition, the research showed that the potential losses from data breaches...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/03/2013

The government has announced that it will be creating a new body that will help to extend the benefits of shale gas exploration to local communities. While chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne last week revealed new tax incentives to encourage further expansion of shale exploration in the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/03/2013

Science-based firms and pharmaceutical companies are leading the creation of a new Science Industry Partnership, which aims to help develop new skills in the UK. These employers will work together to develop a vision of the skills base needed for global success in the sector and to commission...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 25/03/2013

The dust has barely settled on chancellor George Osborne's latest Budget report and the Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) has become the latest organisation to voice its frustration. In particular, CaSE expressed its disappointment over the government's lack of planned spending on research...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 21/03/2013

Around 13.5 million will be invested by the Scottish government in the construction of new green homes, it has been announced. Hundreds of affordable properties will be created as a result of the funding, which was unveiled earlier today (March 18th) by housing minister Margaret Burgess, while a...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 18/03/2013

The UK's beleaguered engineering sector has received support from an unlikely source in Formula One superstar Jenson Button. As someone who's spent the majority of his adult life in the motorsport industry, Button is more familiar than most with the power of engineering. And he has now thrown his...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/03/2013

The City of Edinburgh Council has announced that it will be borrowing up to 21 million in the coming months to help expand its affordable homes programme. Indeed, the Scottish government has given the local authority the go-ahead to use the loan facility to help start the construction process and...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 22/03/2013

Construction work is set to begin on what will become one of Europe's biggest reservoirs, creating additional work opportunities in Derbyshire. Constructor Enquirer reports that Costain will be in charge of the building phase, including excavation and construction through to completion. Through a...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 21/03/2013

Jobs fair Silicon Milkroundabout, which has focussed on hiring for London's Tech City, will itself be adding more members of staff to its books in the coming months as it looks to develop its recruitment services . A full-time team will be hired over the next few months as the event turns into a...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 21/03/2013

Chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne has given the shale gas industry a boost in his Budget, introducing tax incentives to help encourage further production in the sector. Addressing the House of Commons this morning (March 20th), the minister said that the sector will be a big part of the...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 20/03/2013

The engineering community is central to Britain's economy, according to one of the country's most prominent academics. Professor Brian Cox, the particle physicist and TV science presenter, has underlined the importance of engineering in the short and long-term, emphasising the tangible impact it has...

Source: Applegate Ltd Released: 20/03/2013