Assay Office opens new Birmingham headquarters

BIRMINGHAM’S Assay Office has opened the doors on its new multi-million pound purpose-built facility in the city’s Jewellery Quarter.

The move marks the end of the office’s 137-year association with its historic base in Newhall Street, which is being sold off for a new housing scheme.

The old office had become unfit for purpose and after hunting for a site which maintained the organisation’s links with the historic Jewellery Quarter, the office settled on a site in Moreton Street.

The new building offers a more flexible floor plan meaning that departments within the office can be expanded more easily and new equipment better accommodated. Working conditions for staff are also said to be better, while security measures to protect employees, customers and stock – a key driver for the move- are now far superior.

The first department within The Assay Office to be completely installed was AnchorCert Analytical. The laboratory staff are now accommodated within new sleek modern and more efficient surroundings.

In addition to re-accommodating their existing four operational divisions ¬ Hallmarking, AnchorCert Analytical, AnchorCert Gem Lab and SafeGuard Valuations – the Assay Office has also invested in a new facility for use by the local Birmingham and Jewellery Quarter community plus the industry as a whole. Training rooms, conference rooms and a new foyer area has been set aside for training, conferences, meetings and other events.
 
The relocation has been a massive project, as decades of archives, paperwork, staff records and other treasures have been carefully reviewed and the significant items repacked. However, favourite punches, pinkies and tools have been moved across to add familiarity to the new surroundings.

Stella Layton CEO and Assay Master said: “I am so very proud of my team. The relocation has taken so much time and resource to plan and implement correctly, and it is testament to the spirit and resilience of the Assay Office staff that not only did we achieve this significant milestone on time, we did it without once affecting the service standards and professional delivery our customers have come to rely on us for.

“Given that the Assay Office has four large divisions to consider, with myriad complexities with regards to relocating equipment and high value goods, this really was no mean feat.”
 
The new Assay Office, which is in a designated part of the city centre Enterprise Zone, is bounded by Icknield Street, Pope Street and Moreton Street.

The new facility, which is almost 6,000m² spread over three floors, was supported by an ERDF grant of £1.478m, which, coupled with the financial incentives of the Enterprise Zone, enabled the Assay Office to pursue plans for the move despite adverse economic conditions.
 
Layton added: “There are now so many opportunities for Assay Office Birmingham and for our customers. It is a significant benefit to us to be in such a wonderful, modern and inspiring space, a building that is truly fit for purpose.
 
“We’re looking forward to the opportunities for new business, service development and continuous improvement that this state-of-the-art facility brings to the Assay Office Birmingham team as well as to existing and future customers too.”
 
Trebor Developments, Glazzard Architects of Worcester and Galliford Try all worked on the scheme, which was brought in on schedule and within budget.

 

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