Volvo Car UK recorded its best annual new car sales results for 29 years in 2019, with 56,208 vehicles leaving showrooms. Volvo’s impressive 12% increase on its 2018 performance is set against a challenging and cautious market in which overall sales dropped by more than 2%, reinforcing the brand’s reputation for desirability and quality. A comprehensively renewed model range, distinctive, contemporary designs, industry-leading safety and innovative connectivity technology combine to make Volvo a stand-out brand in the premium segment, where it remains one of the country’s fastest-growing car manufacturers. In the past year, it also increased its UK market share from 2.13 to 2.43%.

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Washroom services phs Group has announced a new partnership with Viridor which will divert customer waste from landfill into power generation. As part of LifeCycle, phs’ sustainable waste management strategy, the new multi-million pound, five-year national contract will see phs-managed non-recyclable waste transformed into energy at Viridor plants across the country.

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The Mitsubishi L200 Series 6 has been crowned ‘Best Pick-up’ for 2020 by Company Car and Van magazine. The award was presented recently at the headquarters of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, which is based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

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Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles registered 42,444 light commercial vehicles, while sales of the brand’s heavy vans, passenger carriers and campervans took Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ total registrations to 47,998. This represents a third consecutive year of growth and a two per cent increase over 2018 sales (46,969*).

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Leading provider EMCOR UK has been awarded a multi-million pound hard facilities management (FM) contract by the University of Oxford, following a competitive tender process. Demonstrating growing momentum in the Higher Education sector, EMCOR UK will be responsible for the provision of hard FM services to medical research buildings of the University estate this currently covers thirty buildings, spanning 100,000 m2.

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You may have spotted EDSK warns over ‘fake’ apprenticeships that the EDSK think tank has released a report warning millions is being spent on ‘fake’ apprenticeships as part of the apprenticeship levy. Please see the below comment from ABM UK giving a perspective from the FM industry. – will you be covering the news? An ABM spokesperson is also available for further comment/ interview today if it’s of interest.

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Leading facilities management provider EMCOR UK has been awarded a five-year technical services contract with the science-led global healthcare company, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The multi-million pound deal will cover six UK R&D facilities and became effective on 2nd December 2019. Throughout the successful multi-stage selection process, EMCOR UK demonstrated an industry leading approach to collaboration, technology and operational excellence. Central to this was a balanced and incentive driven commercial model that enables improvement in quality, innovation and technology throughout the duration of the contract.

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UK engineering and design consultancy Plextek is partnering with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) specialist, Griff Aviation, to put micro radars and sensors on its innovative heavy lifting drones. Griff is developing UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) designed to carry payloads up to 250kg for a wide range of applications including moving building equipment and materials across harsh terrains including mountainous and forested landscapes.

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New research has revealed Birmingham as the Council area with the most opportunities for regeneration for investment in empty residential and commercial properties. UK fibre broadband specialist Glide made a series of FOI requests to local Councils in order to find the number of empty dwellings and commercial properties across the UK.

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Optima Energy Systems, a leading developer and provider of advanced energy management software, predicts that business energy users could be left unprepared for the changes implemented under Ofgem’s Targeted Charging Review. Optima, who work with some of the largest energy users and consultants in the UK, say a major area of concern is pass-through costs. It warns that organisations need to urgently review their bill validation processes or they could be at risk of collectively wasting £millions on incorrect energy bills.

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