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Hit the north

Date: 1st July 2010

Source: Insider

Once the subject of endless jokes from the more affluent south of Nottinghamshire, Mansfield is slowly but surely finding its feet after years of neglect. Sam Metcalf finds out what's going on.

Once the butt end of Nottinghamshire, Mansfield is making a concerted effort to make sure North Notts can compete with Nottingham in the sixth and Doncaster just over the border in Yorkshire.

Last year something approaching a masterplan was launched by the district council. This document, a 'city centre for Mansfield' is aimed at potential developers, investors and the general public, and demonstrates how Mansfield's centre will develop over the next five to ten years.

And interested parties are already circling. Carl Ashley, senior partner at Yorkshire Bank's Financial Solutions Centre in Nottingham, which covers Mansfield, suggests companies are already moving in.

"There has been European funding available for companies interested in setting up or relocating to Mansfield due to the closure of the former collieries," he says. "The grants made available have proved to be a big incentive to a range of sectors."

The big success story of recent years in Mansfield is Network Space's  i2 scheme at Oakham Business park in the town. The latest business to move there is Whistler Technology, trading as WTX, which has taken 5,350 sq. ft of office accommodation and workspace on a five-year lease. The company supplies customers with electronic components from featured manufacturers, end-of-line and liquidated stock, and also provides a brokerage service for sourcing specialised or obsolete parts.

Director of WTX, Scott Manifold, says: "Due to the expiry of our lease we decided to relocate in the local area and considered a number of other potential developments before opting for i2. However, its specification, landscaped environment and flexible terms meant that i2 was the choice for us."

Helen Gordon, senior property manager at Network Space, says: "As we have strong interest in the remaining office accommodation we hope it will only be a matter of time until further tenants join WTX and our other occupier, Healthcare Software Systems."

I2 Mansfield is located on Oakham Business Park, close to Mansfield town centre. It was designed to offer space from 1,557 to 34,307 sq. ft. Network Space is targeting start-ups and looking to provide move-on space for existing tenants or tailored space to meet headquarters or corporate satellite office requirements.

Ashley at Yorkshire Bank says anecdotal evidence indicated there is definite growth in sectors such as manufacturing and engineering. "There is a diverse range of sectors locating in Mansfield, which is providing a wider range of skilled people in the area," he says. "That makes financial and common sense because if one kind of industry goes through a particularly hard time, then the damage is limited in the local market/"

Yorkshire Bank financed the building of a 35,000 sq ft factory for Closures in Oakham Business park in Mansfield. It is one of the UK's largest manufacturers of plastic packaging for the dairy industry. "The additional space was needed  for production, warehousing and offices, and the company now employs more than 83 people to produce containers and caps  for dairy products to leading supermarkets across the country," says Ashely. "Swiftool Precision Engineering has shown confidence in the future by its plans to move to new 30,000 sq ft premises in Huthwaite.

Meanwhile, clean technology group ENER-G, which is based in Salford, has chosen Mansfield to launch its ENER-G Sustainable Technologies division, which specialises in the design, installation and maintenance of heat pumps.

The division expands ENER-G's existing ground source heat pump operation into a building services-focused business that can provide total heat pump solutions for all types of heating and cooling applications.

Managing Director Paul Burley says: "Our in-house expertise and resources means we can see the whole job through from initial feasibility through to project handover. We operate our own drilling rigs and offer complete in-house services from specialist design through to complete project management, installation and maintenance of heat pump technologies. We also have the ability to supply bespoke manufactured heat pumps in a variety of sizes to accommodate complex customer briefs, particularly here space is restricted."

Ashely thinks these different kinds of companies emphasise the rich diversity in Mansfield and its neighbouring areas.

He says: "Mansfield has many excellent selling points compared with its larger neighbours. It is more affordable to rent or buy premises and, for those involved in distribution, it also has first-class transport links due to its close proximity to the M1 and A1, and to East Midlands Airport and Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster.

"It is often difficult to get the right balance between encouraging growth in business parks on the outskirts of a town  while not causing damage to the town cent. But for every business in Mansfield there comes a point after a recession when businesses feel confident enough to start investing."

New and expanding firms sign up to the Keys Village

Date: 5th October 2009

Source: Express & Star

Network Space has signed up for its first tenant for its industrial units at Keys Business Village in Hednesford.

Keys Business Village, on Upper Keys Business Park near the town centre, comprises eight workspace units to let ranging in size from 1,530 to 2,685 sq ft, which have been designed for businesses looking to set up or expand in Staffordshire.

The first deal sees National Signs take a 1,534 sq ft unit on a 12-month leave. National Signs is one of the UK's fastest growing signage and display companies, and one of the largest operators of mobile sign units.

Tony Lucas, director of National Signs said: "We have doubled our sales from this time last year, and due to this success in the current downturn we felt the time was right to open another regional depot.  Keys Business Village was the ideal location from which to service our West Midlands customers."

Joining them at Keys Business Village is new business G2 Electrical Wholesalers, which has taken a 2,088 sq ft industrial unit on a three-year lease.

Director, Paul Bradbury said: "Location was the key factor in my decision on where to base my new business, and Keys Business Village was ideal with its close proximity to the town centre and the motorway network."

Helen Gordon, senior property manager for Network Space said: "The vision behind our business village was to offer a product for businesses looking to start up or expand in Staffordshire, and these tenants demonstrate that Keys Business Village is the perfect solution."

Network Space Houses New Tenants

Date: 1st June 2010

Network Space has announced six deals totalling over 16,300 sq ft at Sherwood Networkcentre, its workspace and office development in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire.

Sherwood Networkcentre is a high quality workspace and office development built by Network Space, a joint venture between investors and developers Langtree and the Homes and Communities Agency.

The first deal sees the Sig-UK Group take a 2,075 sq ft industrial unit with offices on a 3-year lease.  The group of two companies provide specialised, innovative and integral railway signalling system products and assurance solutions.

Liane Launders, Managing Director of one of the Sig-UK group of companies – SigCyclone UK said: "Due to the recent expansion of our business we required larger premises and the industrial unit with project office facility content at Sherwood Networkcentre provided the perfect solution.

"We are very pleased with the high level of quality service the development receives."

The second deal sees micro wind turbine manufacturer and distributor Eclectic Energy Limited take a 3,467 industrial unit on a 3-year lease.  The company were looking to relocate to larger premises and Alison Anderson, Director commented: "We wanted to remain local to the area, so the locality of Sherwood Networkcentre was ideal."

Joining Sigassure UK and Eclectic Energy at the site are Cannon Fire Protection Limited, Dyal Trading Limited, Branch Construction Limited, and Gents & Players Co Ltd, who’ve taken units ranging in size from 1,040 to 6,500 sq ft on 3 year leases.

Leona Taylor-Piggott, Property Manager at Network Space, added: "We are delighted to welcome further local occupiers to Sherwood Networkcentre which takes the site to 54% let, and hope to have additional occupiers imminently."

Sherwood Networkcentre provides over 51,000 sq ft of space across 19 workspace units ranging in size from 1,341 to 3,059 sq ft and 8 offices from 874 to 924 sq ft.  The site features security access gates, CCTV and monitored alarms along with shared car parking facilities.

The site is located on the popular Sherwood Energy Village and is well placed for access to the towns of Mansfield, Newark and Worksop, and offers excellent road links to Junctions 29 and 28 of the M1 motorway and the A1(M).

The agents for Sherwood Networkcentre are Fisher German Shuldam Calverley and Fisher Hargreaves Proctor.