Archive for the ‘News’ Category
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Chapco Group Acquires 24Seven Group Holdings Limited
Following the recent investment by Next Wave Partners, Chapco Group Limited have announced the acquisition of 24Seven Group Holdings Limited. Private equity backed Chapco Group Limited, a leading provider of UK Facilities Management, Projects, IT Support, Infrastructure and Telecommunications services has acquired Livingston based 24Seven a national property and facilities management services company.
24Seven is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading providers of integrated property management and building maintenance services in the retail, healthcare and leisure sectors. Founded in 2002 by brothers Kerr and Colin Wilson 24Seven has enjoyed rapid growth and also includes 1A Emergency services, a building maintenance provider operating in the domestic and commercial markets, throughout Scotland.
The acquisition sees Colin Wilson retained within the business and promoted to Group Facilities Management Director taking responsibility for all of the Group’s FM business.
Chapco Group CEO, Richard Chapman said “we are all delighted with the acquisition of 24Seven as part of our strategy to develop Chapco as a nationwide facilities management business supporting Blue Chip clients for both reactive and planned maintenance programmes. We will harness the best of both Chapco and 24Seven to take our service to higher and more efficient levels; this is great news for all of our existing clients”
Colin Wilson commented “we have been working with the management team from Chapco for over a year and it is our shared commitment to customer service, exploring added value solutions and the professionalism of the directly employed multi skilled workforce that has convinced me that this is the best way forward, not only for 24Seven but our clients too. This sees our access to in-house skilled labour increase dramatically and also adds to our established Service Partner network”
Alan Curtis, Chapco Group Non Executive Chairman, says “this is a fantastic move for us and straight after securing major investment in the Group. The whole management team has pulled together to make sure that we have completed a deal that not only firmly puts us on the map as a national facilities management service provider but also adds value to both the IT and Infrastructure elements of our business. This continues our strategic plan to grow our business and the services we offer both organically and by acquisition”.
For further information contact Matthew Watson 01455 205700, matt.watson@chapco.co.uk or visit our websites www.chapco.co.uk www.24Sevenuk.net
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Thursday, August 26th, 2010
Petainer recruits expert ‘customer advocates’
Specialist plastics packaging technology business Petainer (www.petainer.com) has recruited two independent ‘customer advocates’ to support its sustainable development initiatives – particularly expansion of its recently-launched family of ‘one way’ recyclable PET kegs.
Axel Hartwig and Werner Sauer, two high-profile German brewers and maltsters, will work on new initiatives alongside Petainer personnel and customers, acting as an independent link between the customers and the company.
Werner Sauer worked at Flensburger Brauerei from 1986 to 2009, most recently as the company’s chief technology officer. Axel Hartwig also spent much of his career at Flensburger Brauerei, starting work there in 1999 and leaving in 2009 as R&D executive. Between them they have more than 25 years of practical experience in the brewery, beverage and food technology sectors.
In 2010 the two men launched brewing consultancy firm Sauer & Hartwig Technologie GmbH & Co. KG (www.sauer-hartwig.de).
Nigel Pritchard, chief executive of Petainer, said: “Axel and Werner will provide valuable insight and effective support to the business. They will assist us to respond to both ‘market pull’ and ‘technical and scientific push’.
“We believe they will add significant value to our customers, both current and future, by giving us an independent ‘customer perspective’ at the heart of our operations.”
Axel Hartwig said: “Werner and I are excited by the opportunity to play a role in the development of the next generation of packaging in a market which is increasingly aware of environmental issues. Petainer is taking a lead in this market and we will be helping the company to meet customer needs in an environmentally sustainable manner.”
Petainer is focused on developing sustainable technologies. It aims to support brand owners in their drive to lower their carbon footprint by offering customers an ecological packaging alternative that also boosts sales.
Nigel Pritchard added: “Successful sustainable development businesses marry the commercial needs of the consumer and the market to technical and scientific solutions, creating a practical and pragmatic partnership.
“The current Petainer keg family already offers a significant breakthrough in the sales and marketing of volume beer, wine and other beverages. It opens up new channels and markets and provides a step change in environmental performance – as well as reducing costs and improving cash flow.
“We aim to further enhance its benefits through continuous development. Axel and Werner will play a key role in this.”
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Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
The Oxford Research Agency rebrands as Future Thinking, appoints leader for new US office
Oxford, 3rd August 2010 – The Oxford Research Agency is changing its name to Future Thinking as it announces the opening of its first office in the US under the leadership of George Ciardi, who becomes global head of volumetric forecasting. Ciardi has held senior positions with several research and consulting firms, including AC Nielsen, MMA, Delta Information Group FYI and TNS. He has contributed to the successful launch of more than 100 new products that have generated in excess of $500 million each in sales during their introductory year of launch.
Chris Sinclair, at Future Thinking, explains the change of name: “The Oxford Research Agency brand has served us well here in the UK, but we’re now an international market research firm serving 30 of the world’s leading food, drink, household goods, beauty products and pharmaceutical companies, and our brand needs to reflect that. Future Thinking is what we do. Our methodologies and experience help our clients to predict the future, develop successful new products, estimate sales, and improve customer experiences.
Commenting on the appointment of George Ciardi to the position of US President for Future Thinking, Sinclair adds: “George brings an astonishing level of volumetric forecasting experience and new product research skills in general to our global team. We are genuinely delighted that such a respected and leading player in the field has joined Future Thinking to grow our US presence, and lead our expanding volumetric practice worldwide.”
Ends
About Future Thinking (formerly The Oxford Research Agency)
Future Thinking became the new name for The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) in July 2010. Future Thinking is a specialist FMCG and customer experience market research company with offices in the UK, USA and France.
Future Thinking uses innovative quantitative and qualitative methodologies to help companies to launch successful new products into the marketplace. Future Thinking is one of the few market research firms able to support clients through the entire product development process, from concept screening, through to packaging design, and pricing to the accurate prediction of the product’s marketplace success, and to be able to do this across the world.
Future Thinking tests thousands of new ideas for its clients every year, helping them to launch award winning products that have success rates four times the industry average. Future Thinking’s customer experience division helps some of the UK’s largest companies understand the factors driving customer satisfaction and how these can be used to improve repeat business.
For further information on our US office and offering please contact George Ciardi at:
E. george.ciardi@futurethinking.com
T. +1 (203) 554-5797
A. Future Thinking USA Plaza Executive Suite 100 Mill Plain Road Danbury CT06811-5189 USA
For further information please contact John Whittaker at Future Thinking john.whittaker@futurethinking.com or on + 44 (0) 1865 336 463 www.futurethinking.com
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Monday, July 19th, 2010
Press Release:
19th July 2010: Growth capital private equity investor Next Wave Partners LLP (Next Wave) has invested £5 million into leading facilities management company Chapco Group Limited (Chapco) for a significant minority stake in the business. The funding will be used to acquire other companies in the sector.
Next Wave Partner Stephen Walls will join Chapco’s board of directors giving the company the benefit of his experience in successfully growing property services firm VPS and leading growth in several FTSE 100 companies ”Chapco has a strong team, great customers, a reputation for quality and many opportunities for growth. Next Wave is looking forward to working with Chapco”.
Chapco CEO and majority shareholder, Richard Chapman says, “I am delighted to have partnered with NWP to help take the business to the next level”.
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Thursday, July 15th, 2010
Petainer to supply organic vodka bottles to Galatea
From press: foodbev.com
Specialist plastics packaging technology business Petainer is to produce recyclable PET vodka bottles for Galatea, one of the largest suppliers to Systembolaget, the Swedish state monopoly alcohol retailer.
Petainer’s plant at Lidköping in Sweden is to manufacture 70cl bottles for ‘organically produced’ Sailor brand vodka that will be supplied to all 410 Systembolaget shops. Petainer will also fit branded sleeves to the clear plastic bottles.
Peter Edin, product manager at Galatea, said: “It’s important that the bottles should reflect the quality of the Sailor brand, and Petainer is able to deliver this quality reliably and consistently.”
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Thursday, May 20th, 2010
The BVCA has selected Next Wave portfolio company Petainer to present at its upcoming pre-IPO forum on 15th June 2010. The event is “an original and distinctive forum that brings “pre-IPO” businesses face-to-face with experienced “post-IPO” business leaders and the buyside fund managers who may be the future shareholders in their companies”.
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Wednesday, May 12th, 2010
Next Wave Partners’ portfolio company makes strategic investment in social media
12th May 2010 – Next Wave Partners’ portfolio company, The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has acquired a significant minority stake in Simply Zesty, Ireland’s largest social media agency. Simply Zesty is a fast growing pure-play social media and online PR agency which boasts a client list including Vodafone, Nokia, Universal Films and The Body Shop.
TORA is a strategic market research consultancy which supports its global FMCG clients in making mission critical marketing and capital investment decisions. TORA’s work typically focuses on enhancing new product launches, predicting product volumes and optimising the marketing mix. The partnership with Simply Zesty will add a social media dimension to TORA’s research.
Peter Wood, of Next Wave Partners who will represent TORA on Simply Zesty’s board of directors says, “We believe cutting edge agencies such as Simply Zesty will be the key beneficiaries of the shift in marketing budgets towards social media. TORA’s investment in Simply Zesty has created huge opportunities for both companies to exploit this market growth.”
Chris Sinclair, TORA’s CEO says “The coming together of Simply Zesty and TORA gives us the opportunity to redefine research. We are delighted to be helping Simply Zesty to grow, and excited about bringing to market a dynamic new approach to new product development, customer satisfaction and social media public relations.”
Dublin based Simply Zesty was founded by Niall Harbison and Lauren Fisher. Managing Director Lauren Fisher says, “We’re delighted to take on this strategic investment from TORA. We already have some exciting projects lined up that will enable us to use social media in a completely new way.”
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Friday, April 16th, 2010
The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) has revealed plans to expand beyond its UK home with new offices in North America and mainland Europe in the summer; and has shuffled its senior management to ready itself for the move.
Chris Sinclair and Andrew Tharme, who led the management buy-out of the company in April 2008, become CEO of the expanded group and MD of the UK business respectively.
Most of the firm’s customer experience and FMCG research work is conducted via interactive online studies. Sinclair says the expansion is underpinned by the firm’s “innovative approach to testing products, packs and concepts, with full integration with our validated food and drink volumetric model”. He adds: “We are seeing considerable demand for our unique products across the globe and are looking forward to providing clients with a fresh and exciting approach to developing and launching better global food and drink products.”
The agency, which is actively recruiting for staff for its new offices, is online at www.tora.co.uk .
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Monday, March 29th, 2010
Crendo is pleased to announce that it has been awarded two new contracts with HFAB, one of Sweden’s largest municipal housing companies. HFAB has been operating for over 60 years and owns over 9,800 apartments, 300 rooms and a variety of garages and car parks. They are the largest player in Halmstad’s real estate market.
Crendo’s contracts are for a wide spectrum of electrical and construction services. The contracts which were signed today in Halmstad will start in May 2010.
The contracts are “umbrella contracts” and represent a significant uplift to Crendo’s sales.
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Friday, March 12th, 2010
Fruit smoothie firm Innocent’s former head of customer insights Jan Worsley has joined FMCG research specialist The Oxford Research Agency (TORA) as an associate director.
Worsley has spent the past four-and-a-half years at Innocent, leading a team of four with responsibility for all consumer data, research and direct consumer interaction. Prior to this he spent four years at TNS as a bespoke solutions consultant.
At TORA, Worsley will work with food and drink clients, providing consultancy on all aspects of the new product development process.
Worsley said: “Clients are increasingly short of time and need to work with agencies that they can trust. The economic climate of the last 18 months has challenged everyone, and this year the best agencies will be those that deliver unexpected insight to help their clients to predict consumer behaviour as we emerge slowly from recession.”
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