Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Business Link Magazine

ARMEXIS has received Letters of Intent and pre-orders covering 90 armoured platforms as the Yorkshire defence manufacturer prepares to scale production. The Harrogate-based company recently announced initial orders worth £17.5m for four armoured vehicles bound for Ukraine. The order includes its tracked armoured personnel carrier and infantry fighting vehicle platforms, with first deliveries expected next year.

An advanced aviation fuels refinery is set for the Humber, with ETFuels choosing Associated British Port’s (ABP) Port of Immingham as the location for Project King’s Road. The project represents a significant investment in Greater Lincolnshire and the Humber, creating around 1,000 construction jobs and 400 permanent skilled engineering, operations and manufacturing roles while strengthening Britain’s energy security and industrial competitiveness.

Senior leaders from across the North of England will travel together to India this October for the first time under The Great North banner to strengthen ties on trade, investment, innovation, culture and the visitor economy. The delegation will take place from 12 to 16 October 2026 and bring together civic and business leaders, academics and civic partners from Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, the North East, and Cheshire and Warrington.

The go-ahead has been given by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to proceed with a public consultation into reinstating airspace around Doncaster Sheffield Airport in what has been described as a “crucial” step in the process to reopen the airport. The consultation around the Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) will seek the views of residents and stakeholders and be open for comment between Monday 3rd August and Sunday 4th October.

Profit has jumped by £15m at DFS, the Doncaster-headquartered retailer of upholstered furniture, as the firm delivered upgraded expectations despite softening market conditions. According to a trading update for the year ending 28 June 2026 (FY26), full year underlying profit before tax and brand amortisation is expected to be around £45m, within upgraded guidance of £43-50m and up around £15m year on year. This came despite weaker market demand in the second half of the year.

SIG plc, the Sheffield-headquartered supplier of insulation and building products, has seen a decline in sales in the first half of 2026, as challenging conditions in its major markets were exacerbated by poor weather conditions at the start of the year. According to a trading update for 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026, group like-for-like (LFL) sales decreased by 1.5% versus the prior year.

A £7m regeneration project has brought three historic Market Rasen buildings back into use as part of a new supported living, skills and community hub. Housing charity Acis Group has led the redevelopment, which covers the former Market Rasen House, an adjoining barn and a former bank on Market Street. The site is now operating as The Grange Collective. The scheme includes Grange House, a Grade II-listed building converted into 10 supported living apartments for working age adults.

New concept images have been released for the proposed redevelopment of Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. The designs, created by Allies and Morrison, show plans for an expanded in-the-round auditorium, a redesigned entrance and a new balcony overlooking Tudor Square. Further images show the upgraded foyer, a new kitchen and café area, and a model of the proposed scheme.

A new research and development facility designed to strengthen the UK’s aerospace manufacturing capability has opened in South Yorkshire. The Composites at Speed and Scale facility, known as COMPASS, is led by the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and has Boeing as its first user. The centre will support the development of large aircraft components made from composite materials, which can help reduce aircraft weight, improve fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

Chartered building surveyors and project managers, Silverstone Building Consultancy, has secured a £4m contract to convert a retail property in York city centre into a luxury aparthotel. 4 – 6 Parliament Street, previously occupied by New Look, is set to become luxury, serviced apartments, being transformed on behalf of Mansly Serviced Apartments, which has properties in London, Edinburgh, Inverness and Cheltenham.