Paxon has appointed Anthony Heath as Business Development Manager, adding to the logistics group’s recent expansion of its commercial team.

Heath joins the newly formed brand created by combining Active Ants, Staci and Radial. In recent months, Paxon has made several Business Development Manager appointments, including Ranjit Singh Nagra, as it looks to support international brands entering the UK market.

His appointment comes as Paxon builds out its sales operation across fashion, beauty, wellness and lifestyle. Heath will focus on those sectors, drawing on more than 20 years of logistics experience.

Before joining Paxon, he held roles at UK Mail and EV Cargo. He later established and led logistics operations at Saint-Gobain and Clugston Global Logistics.

Most recently, Heath worked at DHL, focusing on the large-item home and garden segment. There, he led new business development and managed transport and warehousing accounts.

Growth push

Paxon is part of bnode, which provides services in more than 200 countries. In the UK, it operates from sites in Blackburn, Leicester, Northampton, Oldham and Wigan.

The business is positioning itself to meet demand from brands seeking outsourced logistics and fulfilment support in Britain. Its recent commercial hires point to a broader push to strengthen customer acquisition as retailers and consumer brands reassess supply chains, delivery expectations and returns handling.

Heath said he was attracted by the group’s established reputation in fulfilment and logistics services.

“Paxon and the companies it encompasses have built a strong reputation for creating streamlined fulfilment operations for brands of all sizes. They are known for developing strategic end-to-end solutions that deliver tangible results, and that is exactly why I wanted to join the team.

“Logistics and fulfilment have a profound impact on customer loyalty and brand growth. Today’s customers expect speed, convenience, seamless returns and sustainable operations. I am looking forward to working with clients to create solutions that meet these expectations,” Heath said.

Commercial team

Chief Executive Officer Wayne Chapman said the business is adding sales staff as eCommerce logistics continues to evolve. He linked that shift to advances in technology and artificial intelligence, which are reshaping how fulfilment providers meet customer demands and use operational data.

“It is an exciting time to join Paxon, and we are delighted to have Anthony on board. He brings extensive experience and a strong understanding of tech-enabled, scalable fulfilment solutions that create genuine value for customers.

“E-commerce fulfilment is constantly evolving, with advances in technology and AI creating new opportunities. We are building a sales team that can keep pace with these changes, use data and market insight, and provide strategic consultancy to help clients develop tailored solutions. Anthony will be a key part of that capability,” Chapman said.

The appointment reflects wider consolidation and repositioning across the logistics sector, as providers broaden their reach through brand integration and targeted hiring. For Paxon, Heath’s arrival adds another senior commercial figure with experience across parcels, warehousing and sector-specific logistics accounts.

Topps Tiles has said the closures, which results in 7% of its 319-strong estate, will help slash costs as part of “significant self-help measures” in the face of a tougher home improvement market.

The Leicestershire-based tile chain added that this also includes savings being made at its head office.

It’s thought the move will “provide a stronger financial platform for 2027 and beyond”.

Topps said the stores are under-performing, with eight already closed since last September and the remainder being shut over the next six months.

However, it did not disclose what impact the moves would have on its workforce.

Topps Tiles chief executive Alex Jensen, who took over as chief executive on December 8 after former longstanding boss Rob Parker retired, commented: “In light of subdued consumer sentiment and geopolitical uncertainty as well as the cumulative impact of cost inflation, the management team is implementing a targeted programme of self-help measures weighted towards the second half.

“These actions are designed to support year on year profit growth and provide a stronger financial platform for 2027 and beyond.”

The tile company said sales fell 0.1% to £142.7 million in the six months to March 28, though it said revenues were impacted by a “lengthy” competition process and disposal programme required to appease competition concerns after it bought CTD out of administration in 2024.

With the CTD business stripped out, sales rose 2.1%, though it said growth slowed sharply to 0.6% in the second quarter.

It said it performed better than the wider DIY and home improvement market.

The cost savings efforts are set to impact sales, but boost profitability, Topps Tiles said.

Topps saw its deal to buy CTD out of administration probed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which required it to sell off a number of CTD stores to appease concerns.

The firm was left with 22 CTD stores, down from an initial 31.

In December, it also bought the brand of collapsed rival Fired Earth in a £3 million rescue deal after the Oxfordshire-based competitor tumbled into administration in October, resulting in the closure of its 20 UK showrooms and 133 job cuts.

Topps said the group is on track to return the CTD arm to profit in 2025-26, having notched up like-for-like sales growth of 1% across the division in the first half to March 28.

The firm reported a statutory pre-tax profit of £8.3 million in the year to September, swinging from a £16.2 million pre-tax loss a year earlier.

It will report half-year figures on May 19.

UK businesses that have entered administration in 2026

Topps Tiles isn’t the only major UK business affected by rising costs in 2026, which has already seen several retailers entering administration and others announcing widespread store closures.

Fashion brand LK Bennett collapsed into administration in January and launched a closing-down sale at its stores.

John Noon and Mark Firmin of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed joint administrators.

Following this, the LK Bennett brand and related intellectual property were sold to US firm Gordon Brothers, which also owns Laura Ashley and Poundland.

Alongside this, major high street retailers, including River Island, Primark, and Poundland, have been forced to close stores, while Revolution and BrewDog have shut the doors to 21 and 38 pubs, respectively.

UK construction company Onespace Group, which is based in Knutsford near Manchester and specialises in the creation of commercial office spaces, entered administration recently too.

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UK beauty firm Beauty Bay filed for administration this month but was saved.

A French-owned company called AA Investments Group bought it for an undisclosed amount, saving stores and people’s jobs.

Russell & Bromley, Moores, Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop, Quiz, Denby, and National Car Parks (NCP) have also fallen into administration recently.

Which shops have recently closed near you that you miss? Let us know in the comments below.

The Government has confirmed that the National Living Wage has risen by 4.1%, meaning workers aged 21 and over should now receive at least £12.71 per hour.

The increase is expected to benefit around 2.4 million workers, with full-time employees seeing their annual earnings rise by roughly £900.

For those working full-time hours, the changes mean:

• A 40-hour week now equates to around £26,436 per year (before tax)
• A 37.5-hour week brings in about £24,784
• A 35-hour week reaches approximately £23,132 annually

But despite the pay boost, workers are being warned to check their payslips carefully to ensure employers are applying the new rates correctly from the first pay period in April.

Younger workers see biggest increases

The National Minimum Wage for younger workers has also risen sharply:

• 18 to 20-year-olds: up 8.5% to £10.85 per hour, potentially adding £1,500 a year for full-time staff
• 16 to 17-year-olds and apprentices: up 6% to £8 per hour

The Government says the larger increase for 18 to 20-year-olds is part of a longer-term plan to create a single adult wage rate.

Why checking your pay matters

With the new rates taking effect immediately, any underpayment could leave workers out of pocket. Employees are encouraged to:

• Review their hourly rate
• Check recent payslips
• Raise concerns quickly if pay doesn’t match the new legal minimum

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said she had accepted recommendations from the Low Pay Commission so that those on low incomes are “properly rewarded” for their work.

The Chancellor said: “I know that the cost of living is still the number one issue for working people and that the economy isn’t working well enough for those on the lowest incomes.

“Too many people are still struggling to make ends meet, and that has to change.

“That’s why today I’m announcing that we will raise the National Living Wage and also the National Minimum Wage, so that those on low incomes are properly rewarded for their hard work.

“These changes are going to benefit many young people across our country, getting their first job.”

null (Image: Lucy North/PA Wire)

What does the minimum wage increase mean for small businesses?

Kate Underwood, Managing Director and HR Director at Southampton-based Kate Underwood HR and Training says: “It’s good news for workers who’ve been stuck on the lowest rung for too long. £12.71 an hour still won’t stretch far in today’s world, but it’s a start. And closing the gap for younger workers? About time.

“Will it be tough for small businesses? Yep. But so is constant staff turnover, sick days from burnout, and people juggling three jobs just to pay the bills.

“Can the UK afford it? Wrong question. Can we afford not to pay people properly? That’s the real one.”

Prem Raja, head of Trading Floor at Currencies 4 You agrees that it’s good news for workers.

“They need the extra cash and hopefully they spend it locally,” he says. “But we have to be real about the pressure this puts on business owners. It is getting incredibly hard to run a company right now. We’re already dealing with rising National Insurance and a weak Pound. Adding a big wage hike on top, especially that huge jump for younger staff, is squeezing us from every side.

“The brutal truth is that if employing people becomes too expensive, businesses just won’t hire. We’ll see jobs disappear because owners simply can’t afford the payroll, or prices will have to go up, which just fuels inflation further.

“It looks like they want to land some ‘good news’ before the Chancellor likely announces heavy tax burdens tomorrow. Without real help for small businesses, this could be the tipping point that forces many entrepreneurs to shut down.”

UK National Living Wage. Infographic from PA Graphics. (Image: PA Wire)

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But Riz Malik, director at Southend-on-Sea-based R3 Wealth also has concerns.

He says: “The last budget impacted employers view on employment by adding further costs.

“Raising the national living wage will only add to it if you factor in this and the associated employment costs. This is on the eve of the budget, which is likely to make it even more costly to do business in the UK.”

The increases will benefit a total of 2.7 million young and older workers, said the Government, adding that by seeking expert and independent advice, it was able to ensure that the right balance is struck between the needs of workers, the affordability for businesses and the opportunities for employment.