Gebrüder Weiss is further expanding its presence in the USA, opening an air and sea freight office in Miami, Florida. “Miami is a central logistics hub for transports to and from Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Caribbean,” explains Mark McCullough, Country Manager USA at Gebrüder Weiss. Miami primarily handles imports from Asia for onward transport to South and Central America, as there are only a few direct routes from Asia. The new location is situated in the immediate vicinity of the international airport, one of the country’s busiest cargo handling facilities. The company currently employs six people in Miami. Headed by Marcin Gonzalez, the location is set to keep growing and become a gateway for transports to the Latin American markets. Since the country organization was founded in 2017, Gebrüder Weiss has continuously expanded its network of locations and services in the USA. Today, in addition to air and sea freight services, the logistics provider also offers its customers national and international full load services, heavy transports and specific logistics solutions, with the portfolio ranging from goods warehousing and local distribution to e-commerce solutions. “Gebrüder Weiss has firmly established its brand and services in the market over the past five years. Our customers benefit from a globally integrated network with a high level of local expertise,” says Mark McCullough. Only recently, the company moved into a larger head office in Chicago and opened another logistics warehouse. Gebrüder Weiss operates a total of five warehouse locations in the USA and employs 130 people in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, El Paso, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco – and now also in Miami.

A Lake District based hotel group has a new chocolatier on its books, thanks to a training course with the Yorkshire Academy of Chocolate and Patisserie. Resident chef de partie at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa Traviss Locke completed the chocolate making qualification at the academy run by international chocolatier and consultant Andrew Thwaite. The chocolatier course, which was fully funded through the English Lakes Hotels Personal Development Fund, has equipped Traviss with a range of chocolate making technical skills and recipes. Traviss, 34, has always had a passion for making his own chocolate and was keen to explore further opportunities for learning new skills and experimenting with the latest innovative techniques. “I thoroughly enjoyed the course training and gained tonnes of valuable experience,” explains Traviss. “We each had a practical chocolate making assignment to complete and I made an enormous chocolate egg which I donated to the hotel.” “I’m incredibly grateful to English Lakes Hotels for supporting me through this course and also in attaining my City and Guilds Level 3 chef de partie standard qualification through the hotel group’s own Culinary Academy.” Traviss’ giant chocolate egg was displayed at Low Wood Bay Resort & Spa reception, with guests entered into a prize draw to acquire it. All proceeds from the draw were then donated to the hotel group’s Sam’s Club Charity which supports local charities and good causes. Michael Kay from English Lakes Hotels Resorts & Venues says: “Our personal development fund is available for team members to upskill existing talents, develop their career skills or broaden their horizons.” “Training programmes or courses can be mutually agreed in most disciplines. The aim is to get the best out of all our teams and give everybody the opportunity to progress in their career choices. It also helps to engender a stronger work life balance for our employees.”

Hendy Group is delighted to provide the car for the Family Business Road Trip 2023. Organised by Family Business United, an organisation that champions the family business sector, the event takes place from April 24 until June 8, visiting dozens of family firms in an innovative tour around England, celebrating the significant contribution they make to the UK economy. During the course of the 2023 Family Business Road Trip, there will be behind the scenes tours of family firms, interviews, dinners and plenty of photo opportunities and social media posts that all seek to raise the profile of the family business sector and all that it does on a daily basis to keep the nation going. Some of the family firms included on the trip are Furniture Village, Arco, Ridgeview, The Wiston Estate, The Gallagher Group, Charles Wells Brewerry, Hayman’s Gin, Hague Fasteners, Mrs Darlingtons, Duvalay and The John Good Group. As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, “Family firms are the backbone of the national economy and with around 5 million family firms employing around 14 million people they make a significant contribution in terms of jobs provided, income generated and wealth created, not forgetting the charitable endeavours undertaken as a collective force for good. We have been putting family businesses on the map since 2011 and continue to champion the sector each and every day. The Road Trip is a great way to get to meet family firms that do incredible things every day, many of which have done for generations.” “2023 will be no different as we visit family firms across a range of sectors, in lots of different places from the North of England to East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Yorkshire, with plenty of stops in between. Each family business has its own story to tell, and we look forward to discovering some of them over the trip, from younger family firms at the start of their journey to multi-generational family firms that have been around for many years and continue to remain relevant today. Each has a real purpose, with family values at their core and pride that goes with having your name above the door, for many, following in the footsteps of their ancestors. It is a great way to showcase the depth and diversity of the family business sector and a real privilege to be welcomed in by so many family businesses over the course of the trip too,” concludes Paul. Hendy Group chief executive Paul Hendy added, “Family Business United does an incredible job highlighting the success of family-run businesses in the UK and their contribution to the economy, and we are pleased to support its annual road trip.” “As a family-run business, we are tremendously proud that we are now seeing the sixth generation of the Hendy family in this business which was set up more than 160 years ago. Now we have a turnover of more than £1billion and represent 21 automotive brands across the south coast.” Keep up to date with the journey on social media using the hashtag #FamilyBizRoadTrip2023.

Hendy Group is delighted to provide the car for the Family Business Road Trip 2023. Organised by Family Business United, an organisation that champions the family business sector, the event takes place from April 24 until June 8, visiting dozens of family firms in an innovative tour around England, celebrating the significant contribution they make to the UK economy. During the course of the 2023 Family Business Road Trip, there will be behind the scenes tours of family firms, interviews, dinners and plenty of photo opportunities and social media posts that all seek to raise the profile of the family business sector and all that it does on a daily basis to keep the nation going. Some of the family firms included on the trip are Furniture Village, Arco, Ridgeview, The Wiston Estate, The Gallagher Group, Charles Wells Brewerry, Hayman’s Gin, Hague Fasteners, Mrs Darlingtons, Duvalay and The John Good Group. As Paul Andrews, Founder and CEO of Family Business United explains, “Family firms are the backbone of the national economy and with around 5 million family firms employing around 14 million people they make a significant contribution in terms of jobs provided, income generated and wealth created, not forgetting the charitable endeavours undertaken as a collective force for good. We have been putting family businesses on the map since 2011 and continue to champion the sector each and every day. The Road Trip is a great way to get to meet family firms that do incredible things every day, many of which have done for generations.” “2023 will be no different as we visit family firms across a range of sectors, in lots of different places from the North of England to East Anglia, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Yorkshire, with plenty of stops in between. Each family business has its own story to tell, and we look forward to discovering some of them over the trip, from younger family firms at the start of their journey to multi-generational family firms that have been around for many years and continue to remain relevant today. Each has a real purpose, with family values at their core and pride that goes with having your name above the door, for many, following in the footsteps of their ancestors. It is a great way to showcase the depth and diversity of the family business sector and a real privilege to be welcomed in by so many family businesses over the course of the trip too,” concludes Paul. Hendy Group chief executive Paul Hendy added, “Family Business United does an incredible job highlighting the success of family-run businesses in the UK and their contribution to the economy, and we are pleased to support its annual road trip.” “As a family-run business, we are tremendously proud that we are now seeing the sixth generation of the Hendy family in this business which was set up more than 160 years ago. Now we have a turnover of more than £1billion and represent 21 automotive brands across the south coast.” Keep up to date with the journey on social media using the hashtag #FamilyBizRoadTrip2023.

Motoring fans were treated to a dazzling display of classic and supercars recently, as an impressive convoy of vehicles descended on Crieff Hydro Hotel for a charity event. The event was organised by Mark Ryan from Driving Scotland in aid of veterans charity Erskine that saw more than 40 automotive gems travel by police escort from the Forth Bridges in South Queensferry to Knockhill Racing Circuit, before arriving at the iconic Perthshire resort. Dozens of veterans and their families were given the chance to ride in a vast selection of vehicles including the latest Ferrari 296 GTB and Bentley Bentayga, before being treated to lunch and refreshments at the hotel. Erskine volunteer Zee Bremnar said: “Our veterans are truly the most magnificent people, and it was so rewarding to see so many of their happy, smiling faces on the day.” “We want to say a huge thank you to everyone involved, especially Mark from Driving Scotland, all the drivers, the team at Knockhill Racing Circuit and staff Crieff Hydro Hotel. It truly was a really special day.” Stephen Leckie, CEO of Crieff Hydro Hotel, said: “We were proud to welcome veterans who are in the care of Erskine to Crieff Hydro, for what was a fantastic event, supporting a worthwhile charity who go above and beyond for those who use its service and their families.” The event was also supported by luxury car retailers Bentley Edinburgh and Graypaul Ferrari Edinburgh, as well as mobile caterers, The Bonny Bean. Mark Ryan from Driving Scotland added: ““It was an honour to arrange a memorable day out for our veterans and residents and their families from the Erskine Charity.” “We owe such a great debt to so many of our military personnel and we all wanted to provide a great day out.”

The new tax year is here once again and with it comes a host of financial changes, from higher taxes to increasing bills, and almost every household will be affected. The start of the tax year is a great time to get into good habits, make use of all the available allowances and benefit from more time in the market. Our partners at Brooks Macdonald have provided a useful guide to help navigate and understand the changes which is available below:

Pentland Brands has announced Abhy Thomas-Joseph as its new global chief operating officer (COO). Abhy joined Pentland Brands in 2012 and was appointed global IT director in 2018. The following year, his role expanded to include the digital and innovation functions, where he established a new global digital strategy for the brand portfolio, growing their digital sales by 40% and significantly increasing their reach and engagement in a digital world. Abhy joined the Executive team in January 2022 as the President Asia Pacific, with responsibility for leading the brand, commercial, and operational teams across the region. In this role, his accountabilities also included leading the data, innovation, logistics, supply chain, technology, and transformation functions globally. Abhy is known for fostering trust and loyalty among employees, customers, and partners, driving large-scale digital transformations at pace within complex organisations and consistently delivering value for global businesses and their shareholders. Passionate about transforming businesses and fuelling growth, Abhy has previously ranked second in ‘The CIO 100’, which recognises the 100 most transformational and disruptive chief information officers in the UK. Chirag Patel, Pentland Brands’ chief executive officer, says: “In his new role, Abhy will take ownership of our global operating model and ensure we’re set up to be simpler and more efficient in how we work with our customers, suppliers and partners. He’ll also build strategic vendor partnerships, drive vendor led innovations, future-proof our supply chain and logistics operations, and use data and technology to power business growth. This is a natural transition for Abhy given his existing global responsibilities and leadership impact in the organisation.” “Abhy will continue to lead the Asia Pacific region in this role, providing executive leadership for what is the fastest growing region in the world.” Abhy replaces Jon Godden, who, having spent 16 years at Pentland Brands, has decided to leave the business in June 2023. Jon has held a variety of roles within the business, including managing director of Mitre Sports. As portfolio director he led the acquisition of Speedo North America and, as chief operating officer, has been responsible for leading the global finance, HR, legal and workplace teams. Chirag continues: “I’d like to personally thank Jon for his leadership and support, most recently guiding the business through the global pandemic. His calmness and professionalism, always keeping perspective and remaining resilient, were critical in helping us to navigate those challenging times. We wish Jon and his family all the best for the future.”

Speedo has teamed up with Wills, China’s premium fitness club, to inspire its million members to take up swimming. Wills is the leading fitness brand in China, serving 1.5 million members from its 160+ fitness clubs across 12 cities. As well as swimming, it also offers personal training, bodybuilding and nutrition planning. Wills sees itself as the ‘fourth living space’ for its health-conscious customers, alongside the office, home and social environments. The premium one-year partnership will see 900 of Wills’ swimming trainers teaching exclusively in Speedo x Wills co-branded swimwear products. The customised collection, a redesign of Speedo’s trusted classics, consists of swimwear, apparel and accessories including Speedo’s new Biofuse 2.0 goggles, which are specially designed for agility, clarity and comfort. Jessica Linsen, Brand & Digital Director for APAC, comments: ”This all-round product collaboration reconfirms Speedo’s position as a leader in the elite swim category. We’re excited about the partnership with Wills as it not only helps Speedo reach more targeted consumers, it also help us deepen our engagement with new consumers and will inspire more people across the region to swim.”

P1 Contractors Ltd and urban design architects, OOBE, have enlisted Yorkshire commercial nursery, Johnsons of Whixley Ltd, to help enhance the grounds of a new residential development, Blindwells in East Lothian. Blindwells site owner and developer Hargreaves Land plans to transform Blindwells from a brownfield site into a rich, bio-diverse landscape with thousands of plants, trees and meadow grasslands that will enhance the grounds of the residential development and surrounding areas by increasing aesthetic value and increasing habitat opportunities for local wildlife. The new residential development located just 12 miles from Edinburgh will comprise of 1,600 homes, educational facilities, a healthcare hub, retail outlets, a town centre and quality green open spaces to help facilitate healthy lifestyles with running, cycling and walking routes around the site. P1’s works included the soft landscaping of all the main infrastructure and structure blocks within phases one and two. Richard McMonagle, Director of P1 Contractors said: “Blindwells has been a great project to be involved in, The client and design team have placed a massive emphasis on the green spaces within the development to make this a highly desirable place to live and work. Having previously worked with Johnsons on all our major projects in Scotland they were our first choice to partner with on this project due to the quality & service they always deliver.” Johnsons supply of plants so far in phases one and two has included over 25,000 Hedging and tree transplants, over 2,000 shrubs and over 160 mature trees. Native hedging varieties such as Acer campestre, Crataegus monogyna and Prunus spinosa were used in the project to create natural screening and structure as well as providing food and shelter for wildlife. Over 40 Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ trees were planted, a variety that has become known as the perfect street tree with clouds of white flowers appearing in spring, and in autumn its leaves turn to shades of red and purple. Additional soft landscaping will commence in phases three and P1 hope they take the excellent collaborative approach into the future phases of the project. Eleanor Richardson, Marketing Manager at Johnsons of Whixley said: “It’s great to be associated with this new residential development that will see our plants and trees enjoyed by residents and wildlife for decades to come. We have worked with P1 Contractors for over ten years, so it was a pleasure to have been enlisted to supply the plants for this new development and work with them again.“ Scott Waite, Head of Project Management at Hargreaves Land, said: “We’re excited to be working with Oobe and P1 Contractors to create sustainable green spaces that will leave a lasting legacy for future generations to enjoy. By working together, we have a real opportunity to not only to create diverse habitats that enhance and protect our wildlife, but also transform former industrial landscapes and give them a new lease of life.” Johnsons have supplied several projects in Scotland including The Helix Project at Falkirk, The Event Complex, Aberdeen, the new Queensferry Crossing at Edinburgh and the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

A FIC is an investment vehicle with the main benefit being the ability to pass on wealth to the next generation whilst retaining some control. In this article, Rafael Ruiz of Birketts explains more about the investment vehicle and some of the rules around them. The starting point is forming a company with bespoke Articles of Association and a Shareholders’ Agreement. Generally, the directors are the parents and the shareholders are adult children. Day to day management, investment and dividend decisions sit with the directors. Although shareholders appoint directors, it is possible to retain control by creating different classes of shares with non-voting shares for the children. Different classes of shares can also provide flexibility around dividend payments. The FIC is structured to fit the needs and objectives of the family. A long term plan should be agreed at the start, often with the intention for the children to eventually take over the business and become directors. A FIC is similar to a trust in that it is possible to separate beneficial ownership and control. Unlike a trust, however, a FIC has no limitations on its lifespan and it can be easier to understand as more of us are familiar with how a company works. However, FICs and Trusts are not mutually exclusive as a family trust might be a shareholder of the FIC, to hold shares for grandchildren. A trust can provide an extra layer of control through trustees. Articles And Shareholders’ Agreement The Articles set out the rules of the company and are a publicly available document, whilst a Shareholders’ Agreement is a private agreement between the shareholders and the company. Amongst other things, it is possible to place restrictions on the transfer of shares, to keep ownership within the family. Tax Treatment Of FICs A FIC can be funded by share subscription, sale of assets or a loan, and there are likely to be tax implications. Income and gains can be accumulated tax efficiently within a FIC and it is possible to direct dividends to lower rate taxpayers. Profits are subject to corporation tax (not IHT and CGT which is the case with a trust), which normally presents a saving, although CGT has to be considered on the transfer of assets into the FIC. Even with increased corporation tax rates, FICs can still be tax efficient. Are There Any Limitations? Although the structure of a FIC can be easy to grasp, tax, applicable legislation and administration can be complex. There is potentially a double taxation of income if the profits are subject to corporation tax and then profits are distributed to shareholders and then subject to income tax in their hands. There are also normally tax consequences of extracting assets and winding up a FIC. For these reasons, FICs should be a long-term project. However, FICs remain a good planning tool, provided they are set up as a genuine investment vehicle. Birketts have experience of establishing FIC’s and preparing bespoke Articles and Shareholders Agreements to meet specific family requirements and scenarios. They can also provide advice on the tax implications of the FIC. Please contact them directly so that they can advise as to whether a FIC is right for you. DISCLAIMER – Please note that the content of this article is for general information only. It is not, and should not be taken as, legal advice. If you require any further information in relation to this article please contact Birketts in the first instance. Law covered as at January 2023.

Perdue Farms has been recognized as one of the most trustworthy companies in America for 2023 by Newsweek. The fourth-generation, family-owned, U.S. food and agriculture company is one of 700 companies awarded this distinction, which was evaluated based on trust amongst consumers, employees and investors, and ranked 16th out of 45 food & beverage businesses. “At Perdue Farms, our vision is to be the most trusted name in food and agricultural products,” said Randy Day, CEO of Perdue Farms. “It is a key driver of every decision we make as a company. We are thrilled to be recognized for our commitment to our associates and customers in Newsweek’s report of the Most Trustworthy Companies in America and take great pride in providing our customers and consumers with premium food and agricultural products. The dedication of our associates and farming partners enables everything we do. Now in our second century of business, we remain committed to these important stakeholders.” Newsweek’s second annual Most Trustworthy Companies in America report was done in collaboration with market research partner, Statista. They reviewed 3,100 U.S.-based companies with revenues over $500 million and ranked them based on feedback from 25,000 Americans regarding customer treatment, career growth opportunities, and investor interest.

GAP Hire Solutions, the UK’s leading independent hire company, has announced the opening of their brand-new depot in Norwich. Due to extensive growth in the area, GAP made the decision to expand their premises and relocate to a larger depot, creating a number of jobs within the local area. Located at Broadland Business Park, the extensive 3-acre site can be easily accessed from the A47. The brand-new depot will provide products and services from four of GAP’s specialist divisions, consisting of Plant, Tools, Lifting and Survey & Safety. These services will be available throughout most of East Anglia, consisting of Norfolk and Suffolk. GAP worked with R G Carter, a Construction Services company, to support with the design and construction project management of the depot, offices and external storage yard. Gavin Smith, Head of Estates at GAP Group, commented: “Due to the continued growth of our business in east Anglia it became apparent that the old existing premises were not compatible for our future growth ambitions. As such, we purchased a 3-acre development plot in Broadlands and created a 10,000 sq ft industrial building and secure concrete storage yard. We are delighted with our new depot and R G Carter were first class construction partners.” Mario Rackham, Director at R G Carter said: “It has been a pleasure for R G Carter to help deliver GAP Group’s new warehouse as part of their expansion programme. We are extremely proud to now be handing over the building and to see it start to benefit the local community through recruitment and support the services and needs of many companies across the county.” This depot is part of GAP’s expansion plans across the UK – investing in people, plant and premises to grow the business.