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Other UK business news: Stationery manufacturer Helix sold to French giant Maped

Birmingham Post — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:05:14 GMT

Administrators of Stourbridge-based stationery company Helix have sold the business as a going concern to French giant Maped SA for an undisclosed sum.

Other UK business news: G4S awarded security contract at Edgbaston cricket ground

Birmingham Post — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:55:00 GMT

Security firm G4S Events has signed a five-year contract with Edgbaston Stadium, home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club (WCCC).

Other UK business news: Boux Avenue lingerie brand to open store at Birmingham's Bullring

Birmingham Post — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:02:00 GMT

Boux Avenue, the lingerie brand owned by Dragons' Den star Theo Paphitis, will be opening its first store in the West Midlands at Bullring next month.

Other UK business news: Unemployment soars again in West Midlands

Birmingham Post — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:45:00 GMT

Unemployment has risen once more in the West Midlands as the rate crept up to 9.3 per cent in the last quarter of 2011.

Automotive Business: Former GKN site in Aldridge is sold

Birmingham Post — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 06:45:00 GMT

A former automotive manufacturing site in the West Midlands has been sold.

Automotive Business: Jaguar Land Rover posts £559m profit in single quarter

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Soaring demand from growing Asian economies has helped car giant Jaguar Land Rover to post pre-tax profits of £559 million in just three months.

Other UK business news: Lufthansa report record passenger numbers from Birmingham

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:10:14 GMT

German flag carrier Lufthansa took record numbers of passengers to and from Birmingham Airport last year.

Other UK business news: Jobs still at risk as potential Peacocks buyers end interest

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Thousands of employees at collapsed retailer Peacocks are facing further uncertainty after it was reported that only one company remains in the race to salvage the firm.

Other UK business news: Inflation plunges to 14-month low of 3.6%

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:05:00 GMT

The rate of inflation fell to a 14-month low last month and is expected to hit the Government's 2% target by the end of the year in a further sign that the crippling consumer spending squeeze is loosening its grip.

Manufacturing & Skills: Troubled Hampson Industries puts itself up for sale

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:45:00 GMT

One of the few remaining listed companies headquartered in the West Midlands has put itself up for sale.

Financial: Inflation rate lowest for 14 months

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:24:00 GMT

Midland business leaders have welcomed the biggest fall in inflation for 14 months.

Other UK business news: House prices edge up in January as first time buyers increase

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 09:50:13 GMT

House sales in the West Midlands edged up during January as an increased number of first time buyers looked to beat the stamp duty holiday, according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors .

Other UK business news: All 26 staff at Birmingham charity BXL laid off by administrators

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:25:00 GMT

A long-running Birmingham charity helping 20,000 young people a year which collapsed following Government spending cuts faces closure after failing to find a buyer.

Other UK business news: RIBA West Midlands hosts film night tribute to John Madin

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:10:00 GMT

The Birmingham & Midland Institute will be the venue for a special screening of two films as part of a tribute to Birmingham architect John Madin.

Commercial Property: Lenders ready to invest in real estate despite uncertainties, claims report

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:25:00 GMT

The Eurozone crisis has left the real estate industry in limbo but lenders in the Midlands say they are ready to invest, according to a new report.

Legal: Two new partners for Eversheds pensions practice

Birmingham Post — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:20:00 GMT

The Birmingham office of law firm Eversheds has expanded its pensions practice with the appointment of two new partners.

Other UK business news: 'Double dip' recession expected as turnover hopes fall

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:30:00 GMT

The UK economy is likely to be declared in recession, according to professional services firm BDO, after a survey of companies’ turnover hopes fell for the eight month in a row.

Other UK business news: Week ahead: Chocolate, pizzas and fighter planes in spotlight in busy week of results

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:04:00 GMT

The plight of struggling firms Cable & Wireless Worldwide and Thorntons will be in the spotlight this week during another busy few days for results.

Other UK business news: West Midlands leading the private sector recovery - report

Birmingham Post — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:15:00 GMT

All nine English regions recorded a rise in private sector business activity last month with the West Midlands leading the recovery according to a new report.

Manufacturing & Skills: Administrators appointed to Stuarts Industrial Flooring

Birmingham Post — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:59:00 GMT

More than 100 redundancies have been made at Midland concrete flooring specialist Stuarts Industrial Flooring Limited after the firm into administration.

Automotive Business: BMW ups apprentice intake at Hams Hall and across the UK

Birmingham Post — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:22:00 GMT

Twenty four apprentices are to be taken on at BMW’s Ham’s Hall engine plant near Birmingham as part of a drive to create 200 new roles for young people across the UK this year.

Legal: Pinsent Masons and McGrigors announce new management structure

Birmingham Post — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:16:00 GMT

Law firms Pinsent Masons and McGrigors, who are set to merge on May 1, have revealed details of the management structure of the new business.

Financial: Barclays cap cash bonuses as profits see slight slip to £5.8 billion

Birmingham Post — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:30:15 GMT

Barclays handed out £1.5 billion in bonuses to investment bankers for last year - although the lender slashed the pot by 32 per cent amid mounting pressure over the controversial payouts.

Manufacturing & Skills: Solar industry faces 'armageddon' if Government speeds up tariff cuts

Birmingham Post — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:10:14 GMT

Government proposals to speed up the reduction in feed-in-tariffs (FITs) for solar power could spell “armageddon” for the growing Midlands industry, according to a renewable energy company.

Other UK business news: Business leaders welcome £50 billion injection from Bank of England

Birmingham Post — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:55:13 GMT

West Midland business leaders have welcomed the Bank of England’s decision to extend its quantitative easing (QE) programme by £50 billion to £325 billion.

Other UK business news: Coventry business leaders welcome £300 million city centre regeneration plan

Birmingham Post — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:45:14 GMT

Business leaders in Coventry have welcomed plans for the biggest redevelopment of the city centre since the post-war years.

Automotive Business: MG parent company shares in sales surge

Birmingham Post — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:27:00 GMT

MG Motor UK’s record surge in sales has been mirrored by its Chinese parent company, which saw its 2011 sales top four million mark for the first time.

Business News: Lord Digby Jones 'comes home' with new business venture

Birmingham Post — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:59:00 GMT

Lord Digby Jones has come home – with the launch of a “world-first” software firm close to his Longbridge area roots.

Innovation & Technology: IDEA Birmingham launched to celebrate region's very best in industrial design and innovation

Birmingham Post — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:50:00 GMT

The IDEA Birmingham initiative, which is being spearheaded by Birmingham City University, will culminate in a Design Expo at the Mailbox from June 15-22 which will include a special awards evening.

Business Columnists: Jerry Blackett: Birmingham's diversity makes it the USA of Europe

Birmingham Post — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:01:00 GMT

Birmingham creates jobs but not enough of them are filled by residents. Of all the English core cities, we have the largest percentage of working age population with no qualifications.