According to Google, a definition for swag is “Short for “swagger,” describing someone with a cool, confident, and fashionable demeanor. If someone says you “have swag,” it means your personal style and attitude are on point.” Or you can go to Webster’s and their definition of swag is “bold or brash self-confidence.”

Whatever these definitions, the Republican party doesn’t have any right now. No swag. They’ve lost their mojo. We’re not draining the swamp by getting rid of all the fraudulent and corrupt spending left by President Biden’s big government socialism. 

And we’re not helping middle-class folks so they won’t have to pay taxes on Joe Biden’s inflation. There’s no growth from the GOP. And no swamp draining.

Nowadays the young people talk about rizz and aura. Google’s definition of rizz, which is short for charisma, is “having a smooth, confident, and magnetic personality.” And the definition for aura is “a person’s coolness, star power, or suave swagger.” As usual the young people have it right, and whatever their total meaning, the Republican party doesn’t have that either.

While the President is fighting a war to end the nuclear threats to freedom and civilization from radical Islam, the Republicans and the House and Senate are doing him and the GOP midterm election outlook no favors. They are bungling budget policy.

They are bungling the affordability issue. They are bungling the growth issue. They are concocting weird inside the beltway word-salad reasons why they’re not getting anything done that will actually help make life easier for hardworking taxpayers.

Inflation indexing capital gains or raising the exemption for gains on the sale of homes should be easy. Curbing hundreds and hundreds of billions of waste, fraud, and corruption should be easy. Then you put in the funding for voter ID, the Save America bill, and the military supplemental for Iran.

There’s nothing hard about this. But the GOP leadership is letting everyone down. Whether it’s swag, swagger, rizz, aura, or how about just plain messaging. The GOP doesn’t have any of it.

Gina Neff, head of the Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy at the University of Cambridge, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the security tests – called sandboxes – are “supposed to be secure environments where you can see what the models are capable of”.

“In this case, it looks like OpenAI didn’t make a secure enough sandbox,” she added.

Instead, the agents created their own cyber-attack against the sandbox itself, finding a vulnerability which allowed them to escape the restrictions.

Once outside, the AI identified Hugging Face as a likely source of the answers they were seeking in the test, and tried to gain access.

Neil Lawrence, Professor of machine learning at Cambridge University, called it an “impressive feat”, but cautioned it “falls well within the known capabilities of the current generation” of high-powered AI models.

He pointed out that OpenAI is looking to list itself on the stock market, and faces intense pressure from rival firm Anthropic, which has made headlines with its own powerful AI tool, Mythos.

“OpenAI are now playing catch-up, they are trying to demonstrate their own systems’ capabilities in cyber-security.”

“It shows us that OpenAI are not capable of safely deploying their own technology,” he added.

In its initial disclosure of the hack on 16 July, external, Hugging Face said it was still assessing whether any customer or partner data was affected and would contact affected parties if necessary.

It said it has now closed the vulnerabilities highlighted by the incident and rebuilt the affected systems.

“Autonomous, AI-driven offensive tooling is no longer theoretical,” it said.

“Defending an online platform now means treating the data and model surface as a first-class attack surface, and using AI on defence to keep pace.

“We will keep investing there, and keep sharing what we learn.”

Fidium Fiber customers began reporting internet outages Wednesday morning, according to outage-tracking service Downdetector, adding the fiber internet provider to a growing list of services facing user-reported disruptions this week.

Downdetector said user reports indicating problems with Fidium Fiber began climbing at 9:56 a.m. Eastern time, prompting the hashtag #FidiumFiberDown to circulate on social media as affected customers sought to confirm whether the outage was isolated to their area or part of a broader service disruption. As of Wednesday morning, Fidium Fiber’s parent company had not issued a public statement addressing the reports.

About Fidium Fiber

Fidium Fiber is the consumer-facing internet brand of Consolidated Communications, a telecommunications provider that completed its rebrand to the Fidium name in September 2025. The company offers 100% fiber-optic internet service to residential customers using XGS-PON technology, delivering symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds without data caps or long-term contracts in many of its markets.

The brand first launched in late 2021 in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, the three states where Consolidated Communications historically held its largest residential customer base. The service later expanded in 2022 to five additional states, including California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Texas and Illinois, growing its footprint into suburban markets such as Sacramento and Elk Grove in California, the Greater Mankato area of Minnesota, and Pittsburgh-area communities including Gibsonia, Cranberry Township and Wexford in Pennsylvania. By early this year, Fidium reported passing more than 260,000 homes and businesses in Maine alone, with continued expansion into areas including Bar Harbor and Mount Desert.

Today, Fidium operates across more than 20 states, offering internet plans ranging from an entry-level 50 Mbps tier to symmetrical multi-gigabit service, all delivered over its fiber network.

A pattern of recent service issues

Wednesday’s reports follow a series of previous outages affecting Fidium Fiber’s network in recent weeks. According to outage-tracking service StatusGator, the company experienced a detected service disruption as recently as July 17, when internet service became unavailable for a period of time. Earlier incidents included a 35-minute outage detected on June 30, a roughly 85-minute internet service disruption on June 9, and a phone service outage lasting more than two hours in late May. None of those previous incidents, according to available tracking data, were officially acknowledged by the company at the time they occurred.

That pattern, of user-reported outages appearing on tracking services without a formal statement from the provider, is not unusual among regional internet service providers, which frequently lack the kind of dedicated public status pages maintained by larger national telecommunications companies.

How outages are tracked

Downdetector and similar services compile outage data primarily from user-submitted reports rather than direct access to a provider’s internal network monitoring systems. As a result, a rise in reported issues reflects customer experience rather than a confirmed technical diagnosis from the company itself. Outage-tracking platforms typically escalate a service to “outage” status only once the volume of reports significantly exceeds the typical baseline for that time of day, helping distinguish a broader network problem from issues affecting only a small number of individual customers.

Because Fidium Fiber does not maintain a live, public-facing outage map of its own, customers experiencing service problems are often left piecing together information through crowdsourced trackers like Downdetector or by contacting the company’s support line directly, rather than checking an official status dashboard.

What affected customers can do

Fidium Fiber’s support materials note that customers using the company’s Fidium Attune WiFi app can check the health and status of their connection directly, and the app is designed to alert users if a problem is detected, including issues stemming from a power outage rather than the network itself. According to the company, WiFi connections should reconnect automatically once an underlying electrical issue is resolved.

For customers who have already attempted basic troubleshooting steps without success, Fidium Fiber directs users to its customer support line for further assistance in diagnosing and resolving service issues.

A broader week of connectivity disruptions

Wednesday’s Fidium Fiber reports arrive amid a broader stretch of service disruptions reported across multiple platforms and providers this week, including separate outage reports affecting Facebook and Instagram earlier in the day. While there is no indication the issues are related, given that Fidium operates its own independent fiber infrastructure separate from Meta’s platforms, the clustering of unrelated service disruptions in a short window has nonetheless drawn attention from users tracking outage reports across multiple services simultaneously.

What we don’t yet know

As of Wednesday morning, the scope, cause and expected duration of the reported Fidium Fiber outage remained unclear, and it was not immediately known which specific states or markets were most affected. Given the company’s history of not formally acknowledging shorter service disruptions, it remains possible that Wednesday’s reports could resolve without an official statement from Fidium, consistent with the pattern seen in several of the company’s previous outages this year.

What to watch for

Customers looking for updates on the status of their service are encouraged to check live outage-tracking platforms directly, use the Fidium Attune app to monitor their specific connection, or contact customer support if problems persist. Given the absence of a public status page from Fidium itself, real-time clarity on the scope of Wednesday’s disruption is likely to depend largely on continued user reporting through third-party tracking services rather than any official company communication in the near term.

Thailand’s news cycle currently spans a wide array of developments, from deepening ties with China to ongoing tensions with Cambodia, alongside significant strides in tourism, technology, and infrastructure. Below is a comprehensive summary of the most pressing stories shaping the Kingdom.

Strengthening China-Thailand Relations

A dominant theme this week is the deepening strategic partnership between Thailand and China. President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, resulting in a joint statement on building a “shared community” between the two nations. The countries have agreed to launch a 2+2 foreign and defense ministers’ dialogue, signaling closer security cooperation, while also signing five agreements to build future industries together.

Technology cooperation is a key pillar of this relationship, with both sides eyeing deeper tech collaboration to drive a “prosperous shared future.” Thailand has also secured $2.15 billion in investment from four leading Chinese tech firms, alongside progress on AI and space cooperation. Additionally, Thailand is targeting 2030 for the completion of the first phase of a high-speed rail link to China, reflecting long-term infrastructure ambitions. Both nations have pledged to stamp out illicit “grey capital” while supporting quality investment flows.

Tourism as a Diplomatic Bridge

China remains central to Thailand’s tourism recovery strategy. Thailand is actively working to win back Chinese tourists through new partnerships and easier entry policies, part of a broader regional trend where China is easing travel barriers for Southeast Asian neighbors, according to Skift’s coverage of Thailand’s tourism strategy.

Escalating Tensions with Cambodia

In contrast to warming China relations, Thailand-Cambodia relations remain strained. The shared border stays closed amid ongoing political and military tensions. Cambodia has publicly criticized Thailand’s stance on maritime boundary talks, calling out Bangkok for a “doors closed” remark related to UNCLOS negotiations, while the two countries continue to diverge sharply over Gulf of Thailand energy resources and maritime claims.

Adding to friction, Thailand has raised alarms with China over tank sales to the Cambodian army, questioning the implications for regional security. Japan has stepped in diplomatically, urging renewed talks between the two neighbors while pledging continued humanitarian assistance.

Tourism Sector Momentum

Despite regional tensions, Thailand’s tourism sector is showing strong momentum. The country welcomed 17.36 million international visitors in 2026, generating approximately THB 838.73 billion in travel revenue. Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai continue to be primary draws for global travelers.

Thailand is also positioning itself within a broader ASEAN tourism boom, alongside Vietnam, Japan, and South Korea, with new safety initiatives like “Trusted Thailand” and a Tourist Police SOS app exceeding 100,000 downloads. However, the sector faces disruption risks, as hundreds of flights across Asia—including in Thailand—were recently cancelled or delayed, affecting carriers such as Cathay Pacific and Emirates.

Economic and Business Developments

Thailand’s economic policy landscape is shifting on multiple fronts. The government is exploring a Japanese-style savings plan to bolster domestic capital markets, while stocks in Thailand hit a 6.5-year high. The Board of Investment (BOI) is also pushing firms toward local IPOs to deepen the domestic market.

Trade tensions are emerging with the United States, as Thailand remains on alert following Section 301 probes tied to the broader US trade war. Meanwhile, local farmers have expressed concern over Thailand’s US maize purchase, fearing competitive pressure on domestic agriculture. On the defense front, Thailand plans to acquire eight additional Swedish Gripen fighter jets to complete a new squadron.

Innovation and Sustainability

Thailand is investing in future-oriented technology, including its first trapped-ion quantum computer and a specialized talent development drive. The country has also made environmental progress, cutting nearly 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions through low-carbon cement production—a significant industrial sustainability achievement highlighted in Thai PBS World’s report on Thailand’s medical cannabis sector.

Human Rights and Legal Concerns

Thailand faces mounting international pressure over the potential deportation of Chinese journalist Bai Zhaodong. Human Rights Watch, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and other global press freedom organizations have urged Thai authorities not to forcibly return the detained journalist to China, citing serious risks of persecution.

Separately, Thailand’s cannabis policy continues to generate controversy. What began as a medical cannabis initiative has reportedly evolved into a smuggling concern, raising questions about regulatory oversight. Foreign travelers face steep risks as well—a single cannabis-related mistake at a Thai airport could result in a 10-year prison sentence and a $15,000 fine. In a separate legal development, Thailand sentenced its first conscientious objector to prison, marking a notable moment for civil liberties discourse.

Cultural and Archaeological Discoveries

Thailand continues to yield remarkable archaeological finds. Workers excavating beneath a 1,300-year-old reclining Buddha statue uncovered ancient gold and silver artifacts, while separate digs at the Don Yai Thong site in Phetchaburi revealed additional ancient gold ornaments. Scientists have also identified a new dinosaur species from a single bone discovered in Thailand, underscoring the country’s rich paleontological heritage.

Conclusion

Thailand’s news landscape reflects a nation balancing complex diplomatic relationships, ambitious economic reforms, and social and legal challenges. While ties with China strengthen through trade, technology, and infrastructure deals, tensions with Cambodia persist over border and maritime disputes. Meanwhile, tourism recovery, sustainability initiatives, and human rights concerns continue to shape the Kingdom’s evolving global position.

Source : Google News – Search

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Indo-MIM Ltd.’s Rs 3,811-crore initial public offering (IPO) will open for public subscription on Thursday, July 23, amid robust grey market sentiment. The IPO is attracting strong investor interest ahead of its launch, with the Grey Market Premium (GMP) hovering around Rs 178, indicating a premium of 36.7% over the upper end of the price band.

Based on the prevailing GMP, the company’s shares are expected to list at around Rs 663 apiece, compared with the upper issue price of Rs 485. However, investors should note that the grey market is unofficial and GMP is only an indicator of market sentiment, not a guarantee of listing gains.

The Rs 3,811.21-crore Indo-MIM IPO is a book-built issue comprising a fresh issue of 1.03 crore equity shares aggregating to Rs 499.10 crore and an Offer for Sale (OFS) of 6.83 crore equity shares worth Rs 3,311.21 crore by existing shareholders.

The IPO will open for subscription on July 23, 2026, and close on July 27, 2026. The company has fixed the price band at Rs 461-Rs 485 per equity share, with investors required to bid for a minimum lot of 30 shares. At the upper end of the price band, the minimum investment for retail investors works out to Rs 14,550.

The basis of allotment is expected to be finalised on July 28, 2026, while the company’s shares are likely to make their stock market debut on the BSE and NSE on July 30, 2026, subject to the completion of the IPO process.

The IPO is being managed by HDFC Bank, Axis Capital, ICICI Securities, Kotak Mahindra Capital Company, and SBI Capital Markets as the book-running lead managers, while MUFG Intime India Pvt. Ltd. is the registrar to the issue.

Indo-MIM IPO GMP today

Ahead of the IPO opening, Indo-MIM’s Grey Market Premium (GMP) stands at Rs 178, translating into a premium of 36.70% over the upper issue price of Rs 485. If the current trend sustains, the estimated listing price works out to approximately Rs 663 per share.
Disclaimer: Grey Market Premium (GMP) is an unofficial market indicator based on investor sentiment and market speculation. It does not guarantee the listing price or future stock performance.

IPO proceeds

The company intends to utilise Rs 400 crore from the net proceeds of the fresh issue towards the repayment or prepayment, in full or in part, of certain outstanding borrowings. The remaining funds will be used for general corporate purposes.

About Indo-MIM

Founded in 1996, Indo-MIM Ltd. is among the world’s leading manufacturers of precision engineering components using Metal Injection Molding (MIM) technology. The company provides end-to-end manufacturing solutions, including mold design, tooling, machining, finishing and assembly.Apart from MIM, the company also leverages advanced manufacturing technologies such as investment casting, precision machining, ceramic injection molding and 3D metal printing to cater to a wide range of industries.

During FY26, the company manufactured more than 6,400 products serving sectors including automotive, defence, medical devices, consumer goods and aerospace.

The company operates 15 manufacturing facilities across India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Mexico, and claims to have the world’s largest installed Metal Injection Molding (MIM) capacity, according to the F&S Report.

Its international presence includes sales offices in China, Germany and the US, along with sales representatives across Europe and Asia. During FY26, Indo-MIM served more than 1,100 customers globally.

Financial performance

Indo-MIM reported strong financial performance in FY26, driven by healthy growth in both revenue and profitability. The company’s total income increased to Rs 4,320.70 crore in FY26 from Rs 3,373.97 crore in FY25, marking a 28.1% year-on-year growth. Profit after tax (PAT) also rose significantly to Rs 533.54 crore, compared with Rs 423.73 crore in the previous financial year, registering a 25.9% increase.

SBI Securities’ view

SBI Securities has highlighted Indo-MIM’s leadership position in the global MIM industry, noting that the company commands a 6.8% global market share in CY25.

The brokerage said the company delivered a two-year CAGR of 20.9% in revenue, 20.0% in EBITDA and 30.3% in adjusted PAT between FY24 and FY26. At the upper price band of Rs 485, the IPO is valued at 38.4 times FY26 earnings.

According to the brokerage, Indo-MIM’s diversified manufacturing capabilities and flexible production facilities enable it to efficiently cater to demand across automotive, defence, medical, consumer and aerospace segments, supporting its long-term growth prospects.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

Eternal‘s first-quarter shareholder letter shows a company where the older food delivery business is producing steady cash, Blinkit is becoming the main growth engine, and new bets such as Bistro and Nugget are still in investment mode.

The company reported 54% year-on-year (YoY) growth in B2C net order value to Rs 31,120 crore in Q1FY27. Adjusted revenue rose 173% to Rs 20,648 crore, though the company said like-for-like growth was 66% because the reported number was boosted by Blinkit’s shift to an inventory-led model. Consolidated adjusted EBITDA rose 223% YoY to Rs 555 crore.

Here are five key things investors need to know from the letter.

Blinkit is now the centre of the growth story

Blinkit’s net order value rose 86% YoY to Rs 17,132 crore. On a sequential basis, NOV grew 19%, compared with 8% in the previous quarter. The company added 200 net new stores during Q1, taking the total store count to 2,443.

The important point is that Blinkit is no longer only a growth business burning heavy cash. Its adjusted EBITDA improved for the fifth straight quarter to 0.6% of NOV, giving it adjusted EBITDA of Rs 102 crore. A year earlier, Blinkit had posted a loss of Rs 162 crore.

Management said the growth was helped by seasonality, assortment expansion in the top eight cities and geographic expansion in the next 30 cities. It also said “gourmet” stores in select locations will add curated premium brands and support assortment expansion.

Also Read: Eternal Q1 Results: Cons PAT skyrockets 268% YoY to Rs 92 crore; revenue zooms 182%

Quick commerce needs more capital, but Eternal says returns justify it

Eternal said quick commerce is not asset-light. Blinkit now operates about 19 million sq ft of store and warehousing space across more than 300 cities. The company has invested about Rs 3,000 crore in capex over the past four years to build this network.
The company also gave a sharper framework for Blinkit’s return on capital. It now assumes capex of Rs 2.5 crore per store, including warehousing, against Rs 1 crore earlier. Net working capital is estimated at 12 days of NOV, or 3.3%, compared with 18 days earlier. Average NOV per day per store is estimated at Rs 11 lakh, higher than the earlier assumption of Rs 7 lakh.Based on these assumptions, the company said a 4% EBIT margin can imply a pre-tax ROCE of 41.7%. This is the main argument Eternal is making for continued investment in Blinkit’s dark stores, warehousing and inventory.

Food delivery remains the profit anchor

Food delivery NOV rose 20% YoY to Rs 10,769 crore, after four straight quarters of acceleration. Adjusted EBITDA margin improved to 5.6% of NOV, producing Rs 606 crore of adjusted EBITDA, up 34% from a year earlier.

This is important because food delivery is the most mature business in the portfolio. The company said margins are now close to the upper end of its steady-state guidance of 5-6% of NOV.

Founder Deepinder Goyal said the company does not see a trade-off between growth and margin at this stage. He said food delivery is growing because the product is getting better, not because the company is buying growth through spending. He added that if the company has to spend margin to grow in the future, it will do so.

Competition is high, but Eternal says retention is holding

The shareholder letter also addressed competition from platforms such as Toing and Ownly. Eternal said the impact has been limited because these platforms offer similar restaurants and delivery times, with lower menu prices funded by lower commissions and delivery fees.

The company said customer retention remains the most important signal. It said average Q4 retention across cohorts is 46%, while the most recent completed cohort is at 50%. Q8 retention stands at 48% and Q12 retention at 49%. More importantly, Q12 NOV retention at 279%. This means older customer cohorts are spending nearly three times more than they did in their first quarter.

On quick commerce, management said competition remains high but has become more predictable. It said Eternal is investing in assortment depth, geographic expansion and supply-chain infrastructure, while many competitors remain focused on pricing.

New bets are small but losses are rising

Eternal’s going-out business, District, had a strong quarter. NOV rose 60% YoY to Rs 3,218 crore. Adjusted EBITDA loss narrowed to Rs 65 crore, or 2% of NOV. Management said the growth was not just because of IPL seasonality and was helped by District becoming a unified app across restaurants, movies, events and activities.

Hyperpure also moved into profit. Revenue grew 27% like-for-like to Rs 1,034 crore, while adjusted EBITDA stood at Rs 6 crore, compared with a loss of Rs 18 crore a year earlier.

The “Others” segment is where losses widened. This includes Bistro, Nugget, Greening India and community initiatives such as Blinkit ambulance service and Feeding India. Adjusted revenue rose to Rs 95 crore from Rs 4 crore a year earlier, but adjusted EBITDA loss increased to Rs 94 crore from Rs 45 crore.

Management said the higher loss was mainly due to R&D investments in Nugget as the company scales its AI product capabilities. It described this segment as the cost of experimentation and said it will shut down ideas that do not show promise within a reasonable time.

Eternal ended the quarter with a cash balance of Rs 18,288 crore, up Rs 316 crore from the previous quarter. For investors, the letter shows a clear split: food delivery is profitable and steady, Blinkit is scaling fast with improving margins, and the next set of bets is still being built.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

The Reserve Bank of India sold a net $6.1 billion in the ​foreign exchange market in May, ​data released on Wednesday showed, as a sharp rise ​in oil prices due to the Iran war pushed the rupee to an all-time low.

The RBI said in its monthly bulletin that it purchased $22.2 billion and sold $28.3 billion in May. In ‌April, the ⁠central bank ⁠had sold a net $8.9 billion.

The Indian rupee fell to a record low of 96.96 per ​dollar in May, pummeled by surging oil prices and higher global bond yields.

The currency was ​then shored up by firm RBI intervention over multiple trading sessions and a salvo of policy measures to draw dollar inflows, ranging from tax cuts on ​foreign debt investments to incentives for raising overseas ⁠FX deposits.

The ‌RBI’s net outstanding forward dollar sales stood at a record $106.6 ​billion as ​of end-May, compared with $95.3 billion at the end of April.

The ⁠data also showed that the central bank’s gold holdings ​have remained unchanged since May 22 at 880.52 metric tonnes.
On ​Wednesday, the rupee closed down 0.3% at 95.5650 per dollar, hitting its weakest level in two months.

State of the Economy

India saw heavy selling by foreign investors in its equity markets till June, but the sentiment reversed partially after the central bank took dollar inflow measures to support the rupee.

Foreign inflows ‌into the bond markets rose in June and have remained positive in July, and equity markets too have seen inflows this ​month. Foreign exchange ​reserves also remain comfortable, ⁠providing cover for 10 months of imports, the bulletin said.

The RBI said in its bulletin that the recovery in foreign investment flows into India shows a “revival ​of confidence in the economy”.

The Indian economy has seen pressure from rising oil prices globally and a weak monsoon domestically.

Although food prices have risen, core inflation remains in check, the bulletin said.

It added that sowing has been delayed due to uneven rains, but “high public foodgrain stocks should provide some cushion against price pressure.”

BCE Northern ltd is braced for 50% growth this year as it strengthens relationships and seals new deals

A Gateshead family firm is set for significant growth on the back of a string of recent contract wins. Lowfell based BCE Northern ltd was launched 15 years ago by managing director Adrian Barton and it has since seen steady growth, taking turnover to £8m last year.

Now the civil engineering firm says it is on target for 50% growth this year, following new contract wins and framework agreements. The business offers civil engineering services including building development, excavation and site clearance, groundworks, urban regeneration, highway works and landscaping.

More recently the company, whose clients include local authorities such as Newcastle City Council, Hartlepool Borough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, has been chosen as Northumbrian Water Group’s AMP8 water infrastructure partner.

Mr Barton runs the company with directors Chris Byrne and Neil Rooney, responsible for operations and preconstruction delivery respectively. Meanwhile, son Joe, who is health and safety manager, and daughter Emily, social value and bid manager, are also employed in the business.

He said: “The last two years have been pivotal for us, not only in terms of the new client workload and building upon existing client relationships, but also the creation of our new board of directors which has supported me and our growth and profitability as a business. The loyalty and professionalism of our staff and workforce of over 40 employees have given us a solid foundation on which to build.

“These factors have led to a significant increase in a very strong forward workload, having secured £10m in our first trading quarter of this year, which should hopefully see our turnover grow by around £4m and hit £12m by the end of 2026, to achieve our target of 50% growth.”

Recent high profile projects include a £1.2m redevelopment of Seaburn Play Park for Sunderland City Council, the expansion of Leeds Bradford Airport’s £2.5m meet and greet parking facilities, , a £2.5m public realm transformation of Bedford Street with Capita on behalf of North Tyneside Council, and a £3.8m active travel route investment at Hartlepool Headland and Marina for Hartlepool Borough Council.

Mr Barton added: “Our accelerated growth over the last couple of years has enabled us to invest in our staff, including two new graduate apprentices, new machinery and equipment, and new technologies which are enhancing the quality and efficiency of our project delivery and supporting our business growth.

“It’s an exciting time for the business but I want to stress, the growth which we’re experiencing currently really is down to the fantastic people within BCE and our trusted supply chain. Without them we don’t have a business, so I want to thank them for their continued loyalty, hard work and support.”