Category Archives: Ripon

Business, Business Headlines, News, News Headlines, North Yorkshire, Ripon

Kettlewell Fuels Sold To Fellow Yorkshire Family Firm

Yorkshire professionals advise Kettlewell Fuels on its sale to Northern Energy. The shareholders of Kettlewell Fuels Limited have sold their stake for an undisclosed sum.

Founded in 1987 and based in Melmerby near Ripon, family-run Kettlewell Fuels is a leading independent heating and fuel oil supplier to domestic, agricultural and commercial customers across North Yorkshire. A member of the UK & Ireland Fuel Distributors Association (UKIFDA), the business has built an enviable brand based on its excellent customer service.

Northern Energy has been fuelling communities since 1932 and is the North’s largest independent family-run energy supplier. Based in Hampsthwaite, near Harrogate, the firm supplies communities in the North of England with domestic, commercial, and agricultural oil and LPG. Northern Energy recently celebrated its 90th birthday and the strategic acquisition of Kettlewell Fuels will support the firm’s growth ambitions.

Janet and Trevor Kettlewell, Managing Shareholders of Kettlewell Fuels, who were advised by Rob Burton of Azets and David Strachan of Schofield Sweeney, said: “For over three decades, we have been supported by a loyal and dedicated team and we are very proud of what the business has achieved. We believe Northern Energy will sustain our legacy and we are leaving the business in great hands. We would like to thank our fantastic team, customers, and suppliers for their support over the years.”

“We have received terrific support from the team at Azets and our lawyers at Schofield Sweeney, who helped us navigate and negotiate the sale. We appreciate the dedication of the team in managing a smooth process throughout and delivering a successful transaction.”

Stuart Illingworth, Northern Energy Managing Director said: “We are thrilled to be joining forces with Kettlewell Fuels, a business that has been built on strong family values like our own. With the existing team we will continue to deliver the same unbeatable service to which Kettlewell Fuels’ customers have become accustomed.. Together, the future looks very exciting.”

Northern Energy’s corporate finance advice was provided by a team led by James White from Brown Butler. Philip Ashworth and Nicole Waldron of Andrew Jackson Solicitors in York provided legal advice to Northern Energy.

Rob Burton, Corporate Finance Partner at Azets, was supported by Richard Weston. David Strachan, Partner and Jack Venable of Schofield Sweeney provided legal advice to the Kettlewell Fuels shareholders.

Rob Burton, Corporate Finance Partner at Azets said: “This is a fantastic deal for everyone involved and it is always rewarding to see a strong family business secure its legacy having sold to an ambitious buyer like Northern Energy which is in a fantastic position to take Kettlewell Fuels from strength to strength. This deal demonstrates the vibrant business environment in Yorkshire and the importance of independent family firms, which are the backbone of the Yorkshire economy.”

Business Headlines, Economic Climate, North Yorkshire, Ripon

Robot Laser Welder Arrives At Econ’s Ripon Factory

Econ Engineering has invested £250,000 in a new state-of-the-art robot welder for its Ripon manufacturing base.

The company, which makes more than eight out of ten winter maintenance vehicles on the UK’s roads, is using the innovative machine to turn out cut and welded ‘din plates’, the mounting used to attach plough blades to the front of gritters.

Creating din plates is a labour-intensive process, and by automating this method, Econ’s team of welders can now concentrate on more intricate but less time-consuming jobs.

The robot’s introduction will increase productivity when creating the plates, which feature a cut out ‘E’ for Econ.

The new robot – which has been named ‘Economig’ by the team – is the latest in a long line of investments in technology made by Econ Engineering over recent years, and follows the purchase of a £850,000 laser cutter.

The company, which was founded in 1969, has recently opened a new £7m engineering facility near Thirsk, which is now home to its 900-strong gritter hire fleet, as well as satellite hubs in Alloa, Scotland, and the Welsh capital of Cardiff.

Jonathan Lupton, Managing Director at Econ Engineering commented: “Ever since my father started Econ Engineering more than 50 years ago, the company has always invested in technology. As a result, Econ has always been at the forefront of innovation within the winter roads maintenance vehicle sector. “

“Our new robot, which has already become a valued addition to the welding section, is now undertaking the more mundane but time-consuming jobs, which is allowing the welders to perform more interesting tasks. It is a superb piece of kit, and watching it work is just incredible. A number of our staff are currently being trained in how to programme and operate it, and in time it will be able to perform different welding operations.”

Council News, News, North Yorkshire, Ripon

Modern & Energy Efficient Leisure Facilities Progressing Well

Work to provide new modern and energy-efficient leisure facilities at the Hydro in Harrogate and in Knaresborough are progressing well.

Following Harrogate Borough Council’s commitment to ensure people move more, live well and feel great; the existing facility in Harrogate is being refurbished to provide a 400sqm fitness suite, a new sauna and steam suite, improved reception and café and an overhaul of the existing gym and leisure facilities.

Outside, the building is being remodelled to provide a reconfigured car park, bicycle storage and electric vehicle charging points.

The existing gas boilers have already been replaced with air source heat pumps and 250 solar panels, as well as new metering and energy monitoring and control systems. These energy efficiency measures come following a successful bid from the borough council through the government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) public sector decarbonisation scheme, and are anticipated to half the carbon footprint of the leisure centre.

The diving structure is also being replaced so that it can continue to create and nurture future Olympians, such as Jack Laugher MBE and Oliver Dingley.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, and chair of the board of directors at Brimhams Active, said: “We want to create a healthier, more active population living longer, more independent and happier lives. And by investing significantly in creating new leisure facilities and refurbishing others, we’ll be able to deliver this vision.”

The strip-out of the internal fabric of the Hydro has revealed a number of areas that also require remedial attention. Namely some improvements to the fire protection of the steel frame, the addition of wall restraints, replacement of corroded steelwork, re-securing of soffit boarding and resolving air leakage and heat loss between the roof and the external walls.

Councillor Lumley added: “Refurbishment projects often discover things that need to be resolved to adhere to current building regulations. By carrying out the work now, the building can conform to the latest legislation and be as energy-efficient as possible, which will allow people across the Harrogate district to keep fit and active for many years to come.”

The project is scheduled to be completed by April with an opening in May, once staff have been trained on the new operating procedures.

The new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre is on target to open at the end of August 2023 as construction work has benefitted from good ground conditions and weather.

Once complete it will provide a six-lane 25metre pool, activity pool with flume, sauna and steam room, fitness suite and studio, spin studio, café, electric car charging points and bicycle storage.

It is being built to the BREEAM standard of ‘Excellent’ which provides third-party certification of the assessment of the sustainability and energy performance for buildings.

It will incorporate high efficiency building materials, air source heat pumps and solar panels to reduce the carbon footprint. Achieving this BREEAM accreditation will contribute to the council’s vision to have a net zero-carbon economy by 2038.

Once complete, the existing pool will close and be demolished, to be replaced by the new play area. This is due to take a further 15-weeks.

Like all of the borough council’s other leisure facilities, they will be managed day-to-day by Brimhams Active that has recently marked its first birthday.

Mark Tweedie, managing director of Brimhams Active, said: “This unprecedented level of investment from Harrogate Borough Council will allow Brimhams Active to further transform from a conventional leisure provider to a comprehensive health and wellbeing company and truly maximise its offer to residents across the Harrogate district.”

“And by doing so we can ensure people of all ages, from all walks of life, will be able to live a healthy lifestyle and stay active for longer.”

Features, North Yorkshire, Ripon

A Journey Of Growth And Innovation

The roots of Econ Engineering date back to the late 1950’s and the entrepreneurial vision of the late William George (Bill) Lupton.

Bill was the youngest of four children from a farming family in Otley, West Yorkshire. As was the tradition at the time, it was always going to be the eldest son who inherited the family farm, so Bill knew that he would have to make his own way in the world. Bill was an inquisitive individual who was far more interested in tackling and solving technical challenges and less interested in the world of farming. It was this curious mind that led to him spotting an opportunity which he pursued, and which ultimately has resulted in Econ becoming the business that it is – the leading manufacturer of gritters, spreaders and road maintenance vehicles in the UK today.

Jonathan Lupton is the second generation of the family in the business and as he explains, his father was the real embodiment of entrepreneurial spirit: “He (Bill) was working with machinery and came up with a concept to merge a mower with a hedge trimmer to enable the automation of cutting hedgerows. It all started with the purchase of a welding kit and after a few false starts, the first innovative hedge cutters and flail mowers had been created.”

Interest in the business grew until the day when Bill was approached by someone who wanted to buy his business and the business was subsequently sold to an agricultural machinery manufacturer, Bamlett’s.

Bill joined as part of the deal which meant commuting to Thirsk from West Yorkshire, which was not ideal and so, he and his wife Helen, looked to move house. Helen wanted to remain close to family and friends and was reluctant to move south of the A1, so they settled on Ripon. Three sons were born after the move, Andrew in 1966, Jonathan in 1968 and David in 1972.

Unlike many family firms, Bill was an entrepreneurial founder with a plan. His long-term plan was the creation of a business that would provide jobs for all three sons. At the time he was still working for Bamlett’s but had realised that he wanted to be his own boss and circumstances were such that as his contract was soon to expire, he could begin formulating his own plans once more.

Lucky circumstances and perfect timing led to the creation of Econ Engineering. After leaving Bamlett’s, Bill needed to find premises in Ripon and a chance conversation with the town clerk saw him directed to the site owned by Vaux Brewery who were keen to sell. Soon after moving to the brewery, Bill was searching for heaters for the premises which took him to a Bradford-based business called Econheat.

As Jonathan continues, “Bill visited and found that the business was on the verge of liquidation so rather than just buying some heaters, he bought the business, stock included. So, back in 1969, Bill’s plan was to start production of the flail mower, as well as to move into industrial heating through the acquisition of Econheat.”

Initially, business centred on making a success of the heater business and to grow the agricultural side of the business too. Business was good and developed a national profile across the UK but there was a strong seasonal pattern of business between April and August. It was here that Bill decided to create products that could do well over the winter months.

“Following the impact on the UK with the big freeze in 1963, he came up with an idea for a salt spreader,” explains Jonathan. “A blueprint was developed and resulted in two initial designs, a bulk hopper that was mounted on a lorry chassis, much like the ones we make today, and a trailer that could be pulled behind a tractor, which incorporated a spinner attachment,” he continues.

“There was plenty of testing and eventually, in 1971, the very first Econ salt spreader was ready to be launched to the world. The business was up and running and the orders started to come in, Econ moved to a new state-of-the-art factory in 1978.”

Econ is proud to be a British manufacturer based in Yorkshire. Constant investment has taken place throughout the journey to date, something that has continued today, with another location added in the shape of a new, super service site at Sowerby near Thirsk. This building houses 24 service bays to maintain and service the fleet.

More products have been added to the range to enable them to perform year-round tasks on Britain’s roads, including pothole and surface repairs. New ways of working were also introduced to help councils who were struggling to purchase sufficient gritters to keep roads moving during the winter period, and Econ introduced a rental scheme. The introduction of the hire fleet was a transformative business strategy from Jonathan and his brother Andrew. As Jonathan adds, “We are an entrepreneurial family and it made sense to offer the hire fleet solution. It worked out well and continues to help the business grow.”

Innovation is on the Econ agenda and state-of-the-art production is evident for all to see. Mobile technology has been integral to recent developments and across all departments, improvements have been introduced to increase productivity and efficiency.

From starting out on the family farm to where the business is today, is a monumental accomplishment and a real family business success story. Bill would be delighted with how the business looks today but could not possibly have imagined that it would be the size it has become. Econ vehicles are used all over the UK to keep the roads clear and are iconic in their livery of bright yellow with the letter ‘E’ firmly on display too.

Annual turnover is now over £40 million and the business has become an integral part of the Ripon community, not least through the employment of staff, generation of income and creation of wealth, but also through the direct impact the business has on the local community.

As Jonathan concludes, “As a family business we have come a long way and have created something that as a family we can be rightly proud of. Dad would be ‘gobsmacked’ to see where the business is today and really proud of the work that the family and our broader team have done to make it successful.”

“Strong family values are part of the culture here at Econ – honesty, reputation, reliability and service are all integral to what we all do day-in and day-out. We are proud manufacturers based in Yorkshire. We are proud of what we do and the products that we make. Being a family business is special too. Above all, we are committed to continuing the legacy of my father, and the family to continue to build and invest in our future and continue to make products and services that we know will keep Britain on the move, today, tomorrow and long into the future.”