Daily Post

City Report

TUESDAY THE market reached a new three-year high as the soaring price of crude delighted investors in oil majors.

Company Beats International Competition for $4m Pipeline Contract

WIRRAL-based LMR Drilling has won a $4m contract to build a new pipeline in Trinidad. The company successfully fought off heavy competition from major American and European drilling companies to win the contract from oil giant BP.

Wade-Smith Bidding to Buy Back City Store ; Founder Digging Deep to Raise Cash

ROBERT Wade-Smith was last night waiting on tenter hooks to hear whether his bid to buy back his fashion outlet would be successful. Mr Wade-Smith has made a formal bid to regain control of the business he founded from its receivers, accoutancy firm PKF. His bid is one of three that have been lodged.

Wall Street

Bosses Are Big Fish in Buyout ; Consortium Takeover Pounds 180m Catering Service

BOSSES at Deeside-based Woodward Foodservice have led a management buyout of the pounds 180m turnover business from its former owners. Woodward was part of the Big Food Group before being taken private by a consortium of investors including Baugur earlier this year.

European Adventure Lifts Ryanair to Record Profits

NO-FRILLS airline Ryanair yesterday announced record profits of pounds 64.4m for the second quarter of 2005. The company, which is adding a fifth aircraft to its fleet at John Lennon Airport, saw the total revenue rise by 35% to pounds 404.6m.

Have Your Say: Professor Tom Cannon

IT USED to be said that 'military intelligence' was the perfect example of an oxymoron - a phrase which links two contradictory terms. I am, however, convinced that the phrase 'customer service' will replace it in the near future.

Clan Sees Signal for More Growth

LEADING contractor Clan has relocated its head office following a period of strong growth that has seen turnover triple. Over four years, the Liverpool-basedcompany has expanded its product and services range.

New Chief Executive

As I See It

LAST month the nit-picking pen pushers of Brussels dealt another blow to a small but invaluable section of the business community. In their ceaseless search for something new to meddle in to occupy the myriads of useless busybodies in Brussels, they've turned their attention to the health food and holistic medicine shops which offer a vital alternative to our creaking Health Service. I'm a long-time convert to alternative medicine, and over the years have stumbled on quite a few home remedies...

Power Struggle ; Race Is On for Anglesey Aluminium to Find New Energy Supply to Secure Jobs On the Isle

ONE of the biggest private sector employers on Anglesey is in a race against time to find a new and affordable source of energy. Holyhead-based Anglesey Aluminium says it is essential that it secures its power supplies in order to protect jobs and remain on the island.

Firm Envirowise

To Head Us Airbus

Low Costs Lift Profits

Ryanair Profits Soar

Richard in Training

New Ideas Website

Going My Way Plan for Car Sharing

SUSHMA Lal, 65, is setting up a non-profit making company in the Aberystwyth area to get more people to car share. Her project 'Going My Way' is aimed at matching drivers with potential passengers and vice versa, and is not limited to work related journeys.

Profile: John Felton - Builder Remains Confident Despite 'Blip' in the Market ; Sophie Freeman Meets John Felton, Chairman of Construction and Property Development Firm Felton Group

THERE'S no doubt the property market has cooled in recent months, but John Felton is confident it will bounce back soon. 'I think the market needs an interest rate drop and I think it will take off again. It's had a little bit of a blip but you can talk it down very easily,' he explains. His Birkenhead-based construction and property development firm, Felton Group, celebrated its 20th anniversary last week and this year's turnover will top pounds 35m. 'I'm more optimistic about the business n...

Business Profile: Designed to Last ; David Jones Talks to a Young Businesswoman Who has Surprised Even Herself with Her Company's Meteoric Rise

CAROLINE Baker admits she is surprised at the speed with which the company she founded has taken off. She had left university with the idea of launching her own business and knew what she wanted to do.