Property Management firms with more than £50,000 of unpaid invoices could benefit from a new scheme that buys those invoices for cash, turning a potential bad debt write off into positive cashflow. New finance provider Azzurro Associates is looking to provide cash against at least £1 billion of UK businesses’ unpaid invoices to help provide much needed liquidity during and beyond the current Covid-19 crisis.   It is especially targeting property management firms with between £50,000 and £10 million in unpaid bills for which it will not only provide upfront cash, but also share in the collections it achieves on any outstanding debts. Azzurro Associates’ new commercial debt solution differs from ‘traditional’ invoice finance in that the former advances cash against invoices that are still within term (i.e 30 days), whereas Azzurro provides cash for debts that are overdue or delinquent, and that a business is struggling or has failed to collect. Andrew Birkwood, CEO of Azzurro Associates, believes this is the first time that companies in the B2B sector have been able to benefit in this way: “As Covid-19 leads to more empty commercial properties and serviced office spaces with businesses failing to pay their rents and fees, businesses need to make sure they don’t run out of cash,” he says. “When collections activities are exhausted, the only option left is the Courts, but this costs money, takes time, and there is still no guarantee you’ll get any money at the end. Now Financial Directors have a better option – a way of generating immediate cash from bad debts to avoid an inevitable coronavirus cashflow crunch.” Azzurro purchases invoices up to a maximum of six years from the due date, paying anything up to 30% of the original invoice value depending on the age of the debt and the credit profile of the debtor. In addition, it shares a proportion of the collections it achieves, which can be as much as 50%. It buys portfolios of all sizes from £50,000 and above, which may comprise a small number of large invoices or a large number of small invoices, provided the smallest invoice value is greater than £100. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Azzurro adopts a fair and balanced recoveries process, with a creditor’s brand reputation being of upmost importance. This is achieved by utilising credit reference agency data to determine the appropriate servicing strategy, allowing forbearance and breathing space where required. Where customers do not engage in the amicable contact strategy, Azzurro uses a combination of bureau data and the expertise of a panel of preferred collections partners to ensure only the right cases are selected for litigation. Interim Small Business Commissioner Philip King, whose office champions fair payment practices and supports businesses looking to resolve payment disputes, says that cashflow is critical: “At times like these we need creative ideas and I’m delighted to see organisations like Azzurro introduce different and innovative solutions.”

Xwatch is a new plant safety start-up company which has developed cutting-edge technology to help protect plant operators and their surroundings on site, by developing a system which creates a virtual barrier around the worker and his machine thanks to its advanced XW range of products The XW products are easy to use, can be easily set and used by plant operators and is great value. The systems ensure height, slew, rated capacity indicator (RCI) and stability are all controlled during operation. The products have also been developed with operators in mind, with a simple interface, allowing for minimal training when being rolled out across a site and ease of use for day to day work and safety. Xwatch was the brainchild of one of the UK’s foremost Rail Plant specialists Fitzgerald Plant’s founder Chris Fitzgerald. He wanted a safety system for his customers that was easy for their operators to use and reliable. Fitzgerald Plant has installed and supported many different safety systems on both civil and rail machines across the UK, the feedback from the sites was that these products were difficult to operate, expensive to buy and not really fit for purpose. “My customers use a lot of different plant equipment around sites across the country and many use different safety solutions. Xwatch and the XW systems are what we at Fitzgerald Plant want from a plant safety solution. It is what our customers want from a safety solution, what health and safety officers want to see used on site and at a price point that business owners and plant operators are happy to pay. “For years I have seen companies invest in systems that operators don’t use as they are too complicated or aren’t fit for the sites that the plant is on. When I asked my development team to develop the XW systems the main issue for me was reliability, usability and value – I believe what we have developed with the XW range is just that and I am very proud of it Chris added “So far the reaction to the XW series has been amazing. We have spoken to so many people from all over the world who really like both the hardware and software that the Xwatch team has created and we are confident that they are the best most advanced, user-friendly products at the best price in the market.” “By setting and creating a safety barrier around the equipment within operating reach – whether it’s height, slew or RCI control – the “feather touch” proportional hydraulic will easily produce a safe and comfortable working environment for the operator. It has the added benefit of being less demanding on the machine, unlike other products on the market, which will also save on maintenance costs and the cost of the machine being off site, if you then include the extra value of integration with the creep control feature, which allows an automatic slow down on the machines hydraulic system from 3rd party awareness system, you have the safest and largest range of cost effective products in the market today” The XW series software is programmed using the CODESYS platform. CODESYS provide the leading manufacturer-independent IEC 61131-3 automation software for engineering control. It’s a platform that is universally recognised and used in Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) worldwide in robotics and other high performing automation requirements. The XW series can be integrated with anti-collision systems, RFID personal warning systems, camera awareness systems, 3D machine control and Telematics.

After the housing market was given the green light to reopen last week, following seven weeks of lockdown, demand for homes has doubled. However, four in 10 workers say they are concerned about social distancing in workplace. Cadline UK is introducing new technology: iTWOsafe., which enables staff to monitor safe distancing and assist with business continuity.   The simple, user-friendly app is connected to a light-weight Bluetooth device, which can be worn as a wristband or attached to a uniform. The iTWOsafe app tracks your physical distance to other devices on-site so that you can work in confidence knowing you are at a safe distance. There is no personal information required, only a smartphone’s phone number in order to connect to the app. Key features of the technology include alerts before breaching the distance requirement, traceable contact history and comprehensive reporting to showcase precautions to health and safety officials. With pressure on for the housing market to bounce back, the app has already gained interest from major global construction and engineering groups in the UK, who sent letters of intent weeks ahead of the product launching. Richard Robertson, Business Development Director at Cadline, said “The UK has seen an outpour of concern from the British people on returning to work post lockdown. People are understandably nervous and are looking for guidance now more than ever on health and safety in the workplace. iTWOsafe complements businesses social distancing measures, allowing them to reopen safely and encouraging confidence both in employees and in consumers. The device can be worn on site or during property viewings while the property industry recovers. The technology has been developed by Cadline’s investment partners, RIB Group and A2K Technologies, and is a listed supplier by the government’s Crown Commercial Service. Robertson continues: “One of the most essential benefits of iTWOsafe is the ability to track a COVID-19 infection emergency. Should a member of staff test positive for the virus, health and safety departments can identify if their iTWOsafe device came into close contact with anyone, and inform the relevant employees to quarantine. This helps to keep control of the spread of the virus and avoid the closure of entire businesses.” Currently in production, first orders of iTWOsafe will be shipped out next week. There is already huge demand in Australia and USA, with enquiries for over 30,000 units.

SaferMask has the sole task to quell the rise of Coronavirus by helping to protect anyone returning to work after lockdown.  SaferMask Group are marketing their protective, community business and industry face masks throughout the UK and already count customers that include hotel groups, gym chains and law firms who chose SaferMask because of the ability to brand the masks, their inherent quality and greater cost-effectiveness. SaferMasks last longer, making them more cost-effective, because they are reusable and fully washable. Each SaferMask is designed to be worn for at least 30 days and washed daily reducing the cost to less than half the price of a typical single use mask. John Lambourne-Richardson FIH, General Manager, Hilton by Hampton Stockton said: “We were drawn to SaferMask because of their quality and ability to brand the masks. Wearing SaferMasks also ensures that our staff do not wear medical-grade masks, so they remain available for our country’s frontline medical staff and other emergency services.” The three-layer masks have been extensively tested and accredited by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) for Anti-Bacterial Performance and Water Repellency and by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) for Bacterial Filtration and Differential Pressure.  The use of SaferMask also avoids the dangerous impact of huge quantities of disposable masks entering our waste systems causing major environmental harm SaferMasks are made from the finest cotton, strong but with a soft, luscious surface for a luxury feel making them comfortable and stylish to wear for long periods of time and are especially suitable for customer-facing staff when branded.