Pro Installer March 2017 - Issue 48 | Page 54

Business
54 | MARCH 2017

Business

Read online at www . proinstaller . co . uk

Flow meters return

M-Series mechanical display flow meters have made a comeback this year , due to popular demand .
After 40 years of manufacturing in Sydney , Australia , by Macnaught Pty , the decision was made to stop producing the meters in favour of digital models . This has now been reversed following a review of global distributor feedback and resurgence in customer demand .
Oval gear meters are widely recognised as one of the most versatile principles

Switched on light

The handy Cabinet Light Jig from IronmongeryDirect is the must-have tool for tradespeople tasked with installing decorative puck lights or strip lights into cabinets . Eliminating the need for a false cabinet bottom , the tool ensures the light is installed in the correct position every time . It prevents errors and misjudged holes from being drilled , saving tradespeople a lot of time and effort .
The Cabinet Light Jig also enables the user to drill a of flow measurement , with their ability to accurately meter a broad range of low to high viscosity fluids without the need for flow conditioning .
With moving parts inside the meter body limited to a pair of oval gear rotors , maintenance is minimal . Unlike more complicated technologies M-Series can be quickly and easily disassembled , serviced and reassembled whilst still in the line without the need for special tools or training .
www . bellflowsystems . co . uk
precise hole into the back of the base cabinet panel to route the wire through , eliminating the need for wires to be hanging untidily around the side of the cabinet . As well as being used for light installations in cabinets , it can also be used to install puck lights into shelves .
For more information , visit : http :// www . ironmongerydirect . co . uk / products / cabinet _ furniture _ and _ hardware / fitting _ accessories / 6523028 / cabinet _ light _ jig / 296285

SMALL BUSINESSES ARE OUR FUTURE

Costs are rising for small businesses , new tax legislation is looming and Brexit continues to cause uncertainty . Mike Cherry , who recently completed his first year as National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses ( FSB ), looks at the challenges ahead .
“ In the UK , running a small business and being your own boss is one of the most challenging and satisfying things you can choose to do . We now have a record 5.5 million smaller businesses and the self-employed , but the rate of growth has started to slow . Our country ’ s prosperity in 2017 will be founded on the success of the smaller business movement . In turn , that success rests upon all of us truly creating a new entrepreneurial culture . This means the whole of society - government and business , customers and employees , public and private sectors – all choosing to support smaller businesses and the self-employed .
“ Politicians need to pursue policies that make it not just easier to set up a business , but also to run it , putting small businesses at the very heart of policymaking . Teachers need to include running a smaller business as a viable option within careers advice . Customers need to decide whether to spend their money with innovative local businesses or distant multinational brands .
“ In 2017 , this will only become more important . Our 5.5 million entrepreneurs are the engine of the UK economy , employing 60 per cent of the private sector workforce . But there are clouds on the horizon that must be addressed .
“ Our quarterly Small Business Index constantly tracks confidence levels ,
and provides a regular health-check for the UK economy . Throughout 2016 , confidence glided down before dipping into negative territory in the third quarter for the first time since 2012 . Smaller businesses have been struggling , and it makes everyone ’ s words and deeds important in 2017 – where we hope for recovery .
“ The UK ’ s decision to leave the European Union and the resulting change of government in 2016 did create a huge amount of uncertainty , but new ministers from the Prime Minister down have been listening to our concerns and suggestions , as has the opposition . Brexit will bring risks and opportunities for our members , and the strategy adopted in the upcoming negotiations must manage down those risks , and accelerate the opportunities it provides . FSB ’ s research and policy programme will conclude in the coming months to inform that process .
“ Brexit is now the biggest issue of our time and having the ear of those in power is more important than ever . But as we advocate for our members , we also say , don ’ t forget the domestic , by which we mean the pressing issues that smaller businesses face on their doorstep , right now . FSB has managed to achieve this at every level of power .
Ministers , spokespeople and MPs at UK level have an open door to FSB UK , and the same is true with the administrations in Scotland , Wales , Northern Ireland and London , who all have a dedicated FSB to speak to . Our ability to influence looks only to grow from the signs of local FSB regions and branches speaking to candidates in the upcoming Mayoral elections in May 2017 .
“ Any smaller business owner will tell you that the sheer cost of doing business has steadily risen over the last year , with a range of policy choices hardening at the same time , creating a cumulative effect . The introduction of the National Living Wage steeply increased labour costs , just as the rollout of workplace pension auto-enrolment hit smaller business . 2017 started with a weaker medium-term economic outlook , and the prospect of inflation in the spring . This will squeeze smaller firms affected by
the rising price of imports , supplies and products , but without the ability to move their HQ or workforce , or hedge their costs . Smaller firms are anchored in their local community and will need to work out how to cope with margins being squeezed even further .
“ Given the current climate , FSB wants to help smaller businesses in any way we can . In 2017 , we want to directly assist those looking to start a new business with a package of benefits specifically designed for pre start-ups . Our aim is to reduce the risks of setting up on your own and