Manufacturing Solicitors
The manufacturing sector remains an important and significant part of the UK economy.
Top Tips For Manufacturers
Confidential Information: Rights, restrictions, and remedies available to businesses.
Latest Manufacturing News & Insights
The Myerson Manufacturing Group has vast experience in the sector, having worked with hundreds of manufacturing companies locally in the North West and nationwide. We act for a broad range of clients across a number of disciplines, including the energy sector, chemicals, aerospace, food and drink, metals, textiles and materials and industrial products.
With years of experience in helping companies in this sector, we have acquired the expertise and know-how to help you and your company with any legal issues you may be facing. As a trusted advisor, we are here to help you grow as a business and respond to any challenges or opportunities you might face in the future.
Being a full-service law firm, we can help you in the following areas:
business acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures
employment law & HR
franchises and commercial agreements
factory-based legal issues
data protection, intellectual property and brand protection
We pride ourselves on the work that we do and our firm is ranked Top Tier in the North West by the independent legal directory, The Legal 500. Below you can find working examples from our clients across the manufacturing sector.
Our manufacturing and engineering team act for a large variety of clients trading both within the UK and internationally. We have extensive experience advising clients trading within diverse sub-sectors, including building materials, textiles, household goods, industrial equipment, food and drink and healthcare products in relation to a number of matters, including:
Terms of trade and supply of goods;
Distribution and commercial agency arrangements;
e-commerce terms and conditions;
Outsourcing arrangements;
Manufacturing agreements;
Mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and collaborations;
Licensing, development, protection and exploitation of intellectual property, including software;
Management and security of data;
Investment, lending and security;
Commercial property;
Dispute resolution and debt recovery;
Employment and contractor issues; and
Acting for a thin film vacuuming coating company in recovering debts owed to them by their trade customers and in relation to a dispute regarding a pre-contract deposit for the purchase of shares which did not proceed.
Acting for a Chinese food manufacturer in a claim against an ex-employee relating to infringement of intellectual property rights, misuse of confidential information and breach of restrictive covenants contained in the ex-employee's employment contract.
Acting for a pharmaceutical company in a claim against a seller of a business relating to a breach of warranty and misrepresentation;
Acting for a leading manufacturer of energy and data transmission systems in defending a claim against in relation to a lease of equipment;
Acting for an international logistics company in relation to a dispute over the lease and delivery of forklift trucks.
Acting for the seller of a chemical distribution company based in the North funded via an investor. The transaction required intensive negotiations of the purchase price calculation and post-completion purchase price adjustment mechanism. The seller was also required to provide all-encompassing restrictive covenants by the buyer to safeguard the value and goodwill of the business.
The sale of a majority shareholding in JTK Automotive Limited, a provider of online remarketing solutions to the motor industry, to British Car Auctions Limited.
Acting for Peter Wheeler and his family in the sale of Lancashire-based iconic TVR Engineering Limited to Russian businessman Nikolai Smolenski, dubbed the "Baby Oligarch.
Advising MGH Bowen Ltd in connection with an investment by Breedon Aggregates England Limited into H.V. Bowen & Sons (Holdings) Ltd which operates a gritstone quarry at Tan-y-Foel, Welshpool, Powys. This matter involved an initial reorganisation of the H.V. Bowen group and new shareholder arrangements between MGH Bowen and Breedon Aggregates England. We also worked closely with our Employment and Property Teams.
Acting for ACE UK in relation to its sourcing of a recycling plant (and related services) from manufacturers in France and its venture with Sonoco for the commercial operation of the plant to recycle beverage cartons. We have also advised ACE UK on its joint venture to commercialise/exploit by-products of recycled cartons.
Employment Top Tips
Off the back of the Covid-10 Pandemic and Brexit, the manufacturing sector is currently facing immense challenges, including recruitment and resource shortages.
Manufacturing businesses rely on seamless supply and customer chains. From an employment law point of view, it is crucial for employers in the sector to understand their obligations and support their people in order to be able to maintain production and sales.
We have set out our top 10 employment tips for the manufacturing sector, which may provide some helpful guidance.
1. Plan for the "skills gap":
A shortfall of skilled employees in the manufacturing sector is likely to limit growth in the manufacturing sector in 2022. Technological advances can offset labour needs and increase efficiency, particularly in production. However, this will require the recruitment of employees with different skills, such as programmers and service engineers or retraining of existing employees.
2. Comply with 'right to work' checks:
It is a criminal offence to employ someone without the appropriate immigration status and there are now stringent rules around the checks that must be carried out. Employers must see employees' original documents that prove their right to work, check they are valid (in the presence of the employee before they start their employment) and retain copies. The rules have been relaxed temporarily due to Covid-related restrictions and will be in place until 5 April 2022. Virtual checks are still currently required and employers should check the latest requirements when they recruit.
3. Issue contracts of employment:
This is a legal obligation but it is also an opportunity to set out terms around pay, duties and hours etc to avoid later dispute. If written terms are not put in place at or before the start of employment, Employment Tribunals can order employers to pay an award of up to four weeks' pay per employee. In addition, Employment Tribunals tend to frown upon employers who fail to comply with this basic obligation, putting respondent employers on the back foot if they are challenged about any other issue.
4. Be aware of changes in National Minimum Wage rates:
In the Autumn Budget, the Chancellor announced that the National Living Wage (applicable for employees aged 23 and over) will be raised from £8.91 to £9.50 in April 2022. There will also be raises in the National Minimum Wages for all lower age groups.
5. Beware the rights of short serving employees:
Whilst employees cannot usually claim unfair dismissal until they have two years' service, there are various other claims that can be brought from the start of employment. Any discrimination claim can be brought from the start of employment. This includes discrimination based on part-time status and fixed-term status. Employees can also claim unfair dismissal from the start of employment if the dismissal is for an 'automatically unfair' reason. This includes dismissals that are connected to pregnancy or maternity, taking family leave, raising health and safety concerns (including Covid-safety worries) and raising concerns about employment rights generally, such as working time rights.
6. Calculating holiday pay correctly:
If employees regularly work overtime, their overtime pay is likely to form part of their 'normal remuneration'. This means that it needs to be included in the calculation of their holiday pay, by referring to an average of the previous 52 weeks worked.
7. Flexible working request:
If your employees have been regularly working from home during the pandemic, they may wish to continue to do so. Any employee with 26 weeks' service can request a change to their hours, work location or duties. There is a statutory process for responding to a request and failing to deal with a request properly can result in an award of eight weeks' pay. Discrimination issues also often arise so recognising these requests, and responding appropriately, is important. There are also proposals that this should become a right that applies from day one of employment.
8. Stop former employees from damaging your business:
This requires written restrictions, usually in the contract of employment, stopping a departing employee from joining a competitor or poaching customers or former colleagues for a period of time. These restrictions do need careful drafting to ensure they are enforceable. However, it is worth the investment, particularly if your business has key people who could cause serious damage to the business if they left. Without specific restrictions, a business' options and remedies are very limited.
9. Handle reorganisations or contract changes carefully:
Employers cannot unilaterally impose changes to employees' terms and conditions of employment without the consent of the employees. Therefore, a careful approach should be taken to avoid breach of contract claims. Alternatively, notice can be served to terminate employment, with the offer of re-engagement on new terms, although this should only follow a full consultation process to avoid unfair dismissal claims. If 20 or more employees are affected, additional 'collective consultation' rules apply and should be factored in to avoid expensive additional penalties.
10. Get redundancy processes right:
Data from Make UK, the Manufacturers' Organisation, shows that 52.5% of manufacturers made redundancies during the first and second lockdowns. With 45% of manufacturers having furloughed 1-25% of their staff, employers will be concerned about another lockdown, without the support of the furlough scheme, which came to an end in September 2021. If an employer is considering making genuine redundancies, it is important that a proper process is followed.
Andrew is a Partner in our Corporate Commercial department
Sven Clarke
Sven is a Legal Director in our Commercial Litigation department.
James Minshull
James is a Senior Associate in our Commercial Property department
Ryan Fletcher
Ryan is an Associate in our Corporate Commercial department
Robert Brothers
Robert is an Associate in our Commercial Litigation department
Jack Latham
Jack is an Associate in our Employment department
Planning For Success: Top Tips for Preparing Your Manufacturing Business for Sale
16/07/2021 | Commercial Solicitors Corporate Solicitors Manufacturing Solicitors
Protection for Manufacturing Employees Carrying Out Health and Safety Tasks
22/06/2021 | Manufacturing Solicitors Employment Solicitors
Growth and Investment Opportunities Within the UK Manufacturing Sector