Manufacturers find new home at former Sealine factory
THE bulk of the former premises of Kidderminster-based luxury boatbuilder Sealine have been retained for manufacturing.
Harris Lamb has successfully negotiated the sale of two thirds of the site in two separate transactions.
The first lot, covering 60,000sq ft, has been acquired by Quantum Mouldings, which makes fibreglass products and components. The firm has made a £1.2m commitment to the site after it outgrew its former premises in Stourbridge. The company has since embarked on an extensive growth and recruitment plan.
The second – and larger – lot of 75,000sq ft has been purchased by NTM, an engineering company specialising in the development, manufacture, sale and maintenance of refuse and recycling collection vehicles.
The business has relocated to Kidderminster from its former base in Willenhall because of the need for extra capacity to support growth.
The Sealine site had been a landmark in the town for more than four decades until the firm’s administration in April 2013.
Harris Lamb and Jones Lang LaSalle were instructed by administrators to sell the site, which was offered as a whole or as three separate parts.
Occupying a total of 11.38 acres, and comprising of buildings with a total area of circa 260,000sq ft, the size, quality and location of the premises attracted a lot of interest.
Charles D’Auncey, director at Harris Lamb, said: “We have now sold lots one and two at the site, which leaves the final 100,000sq ft lot remaining.
“Premises of this size are a rare occurrence on a freehold basis, and with a huge influx of manufacturing investment into the Worcestershire area, this represents a massive opportunity for the right buyer.”
The final plot includes a high-bay warehouse with ancillary offices and much of the boatbuilding paraphernalia including gantry cranes. D’Auncey said the plot was best-suited to a large-scale manufacturer seeking extensive space and good access links to the whole of the UK.
Mike Harris, of NTM, said: “The site appealed to NTM partly due to the building’s high eaves, which proved hard to find on the commercial property market and also the fact that 10-tonne and 20-tonne overhead cranes were already set up. This saved us a lot of time, hassle and money.
“The location of the site was important to NTM – working closely with Wyre Forrest Council we were able to identify Kidderminster as an assisted area, this meant that we could bring new skilled and semi-skilled employment opportunities to an area of high unemployment and also benefit from a good pool of skilled people looking for work. Kidderminster fits well with NTM’s goals and values.”
