News
Growth ambitions boosted by our move to larger HQ
Posted:
We are thrilled to announce that we are moving our group headquarters to a flagship north west development to meet growing demand and our future expansion plans.
Howorth has had a base at Victoria Works on Lorne Street, Farnworth, Bolton, for almost 150 years, but we are currently relocating from there to a 33,000sq ft two-storey modern, detached unit at Logistics North on Lomax Way, Bolton.
The new site has extensive shopfloor space which will accommodate our pharma assembly operations, plus two floors of offices housing medical and pharmaceutical operations alongside our finance, HR, IT, technical, purchasing, marketing and health and safety teams.
We are retaining our presence at Raven Locks in Little Hulton, Salford, which will be home to our medical fabrication operations and our service and aftersales team.
The relocation to Logistics North is due to be completed by the end of November, with the company making an initial investment of £500,000.
Our Lorne Street site has been acquired by Bolton-based Handrail Creations and will remain as a manufacturing facility.
Logistics North is a high-profile scheme next to junction four of the M61, comprising four million sq ft of space across 250 acres. Occupiers include MBDA, Aldi, Whistl, Amazon, Green King and Lidl. The site has a BREAAM rating of ‘very good’.
Our chief operating officer Adam Ainslie said Logistics North stood out as the ideal choice for our group’s new HQ.
“When looking at potential options, we had some specific criteria we wished to meet,” he said.
“We wanted to remain within the Bolton area to minimise disruption to our loyal workforce.
“In addition, the premises needed to be built to the highest efficiency standards to meet our net zero ambitions, give us enough floor space and flexibility to satisfy our current and future needs as we look to expand, provide sufficient office space to house a growing workforce and have good transport links.
“The site at Logistics North fulfils all of these requirements and will provide a modern facility at a superb location, making it a great place to work for our team.
“As the business continues to expand in the UK and overseas, the need for additional space has become more of a priority. Pharma projects are increasing in number and size, and with that comes the requirement for additional assembly areas.
“Our move to Logistics North comes at an exciting time for Howorth as we start to complete another large-scale containment project for a Tier 1 pharmaceutical client. Our new facility will enable us to deliver larger and more complex containment suites in line with client demand.
“As well as expanding in the UK, we continue to grow our operations in the United States from our base in Charlotte, North Carolina, and we are looking to further develop our pharma operations in Europe.”
A fit-out of the new premises has been carried out by Eatock Design & Build. The layout has been designed to maximise the workspace, and features breakout and collaboration areas and meeting pods.
Paul Eatock, managing director of Eatock Design & Build, said: “To support Howorth’s sustainability initiatives, our design team has opted for locally-sourced, eco-friendly materials which have a low carbon impact.
“All desks, storage and planter units are made from sustainably-sourced materials. The acoustic booths are 100 per cent recyclable, as is the new flooring. It’s great to be part of this next chapter for Howorth by creating its new workspace and helping bolster its sustainability efforts.”
JLL was the industrial property agent which acted on both the sale of Victoria Works and our new facility at Logistics North.
Ruth Leighton, JLL’s industrial and logistics director, said: “The sale of Howorth’s existing facility and the fast acquisition of its new home underscores the robustness of the north west’s industrial property market, particularly in high-demand areas like Bolton, where mid-box supply is limited.
“Developments such as Logistics North, with prime location, outstanding connectivity and enhanced ESG benefits, not only cater to a company’s operational needs but also their employees’ wellbeing, putting businesses like Howorth in an ideal position to achieve their growth ambitions in an area built for the future.”
Adam said: “We have had tremendous support from Ruth, Joe Bostock and Harry Kirk at JLL to not only help us identify and secure a fantastic new home but also to find a great custodian for our previous site at Lorne Street.”
MLP Law provided legal advice to Howorth on the move to Logistics North.
Kenny Macfarlane, managing director of Handrail Creations, which manufactures and supplies commercial handrails, said: “The purchase of Victoria Works was the ultimate way to celebrate 10 years in industry, and demonstrates the phenomenal growth we've seen in that time.
“This new factory is three times bigger than our current one, which gives us tremendous scope to improve our process, develop our staff and deliver more contracts each year.
“As Howorth was based at Victoria Works for nearly 150 years, the factory is steeped in its heritage, and we are proud to carry on this legacy.”