Global firm has a huge local impact
SPECIALIST law firm has won a top award.
Gaddes Noble Property Lawyers, based in St George’s Square, Huddersfield, won Small Conveyancing Firm of the Year at the LFS Conveyancing Awards 2018.
The LFS Conveyancing Awards are the largest and most prestigious event in the conveyancing calendar. More than 700 solicitors, licensed conveyancers and conveyancing professionals enjoyed the gala night dinner.
Managing director Lee Gaddes said: “To win this highly acclaimed award is an honour and a testimony to our fabulous conveyancing team.
“We all enjoyed the evening with our fellow finalists in Birmingham and never expected to win. The award now takes pride of place in our reception area in our offices in Huddersfield and will be our benchmark for the years to come.” commitment to manufacturing in Huddersfield is demonstrated by the sustained investment in the site development – £23 million in the past year alone.
“Welcoming Roger to Syngenta allowed us to share our future plans and discuss how we can positively impact the wider LEP region.”
Despite being a multi-national organisation, Syngenta has a strong northern UK presence to its business.
Its Global Operations Centre is based in Manchester and the Huddersfield site alone spends £17 million each year on supply and service contracts.
All of those contract providers have local branches in the North of England and more than half of that money is spent with companies Left to right: Alistair Conn, site manager, Syngenta; Simon Davies, head of finance, Syngenta; Roger Marsh OBE, LEP; Glenn Hughes, plant production manager; Bob Cryan, vice chancellor, University of Huddersfield; and Carl Sykes, community & business relations manager From left to right: Dan Montagnani (MD Groundsure) Nick Ball (national sales manager TMGroup) Julie Schofield, Lee Gaddes, Kimberley Wilson, Danielle Biglin and Joe Frost. At the back is Alan Hudson (presenter and magician) that have head offices north of Manchester.
Last year, Syngenta spent £5 million with suppliers within 20 miles of the site’s location. It is an approach that reflects the LEP’s vision to unlock the region’s economic potential by enabling businesses to grow and develop with the goal of stimulating growth.
Commenting on the visit, Mr Marsh said: “The LEP is all about helping enterprise and business to thrive in the north and Syngenta is a great example of an organisation that’s building for the future by investing in the area.
“We feel that there’s a real opportunity for Syngenta, and Huddersfield, to play a significant role in our plans to sustain jobs and prosperity for the region.
“We’re looking forward to working with the Huddersfield team moving forward.”
Syngenta is investing in people and skills for the future as well as equipment. The Huddersfield site directly employs 400 staff with Syngenta and, through service contracts, provides more jobs for another 300 people.
Most of those 700 jobs are in highly skilled roles, including chemists, engineers and technical production staff with salaries well above the UK national average salary.
To maintain its skills base, the site runs an award winning Advanced Apprenticeship programme. The programme recently won the ‘Large Employer of the Year’ category at the regional finals for Yorkshire and the Humber in the National Apprenticeship Awards. The company now represents the region in the National finals in November.
Mr Conn added: “We’re very proud of our apprentices and guarantee a job for every one of them on successful completion of their programme.
“We’re taking apprentices each year from aged 16 upwards and developing them into skilled employees in engineering, science, manufacturing and business functions.”
Over the past nine years, Syngenta has recruited more than 50 people through its Advanced Apprenticeship scheme and impressively, 95 per cent of them have stayed and are now employed by the company.