80,000 sq ft pre-let paves the way for manufacturer to double in size

BATHROOM manufacturer HiB is to double the size of its West Midlands operation after signing a major pre-let agreement for a new building at its existing base.

HiB, which already operates on the 400-acre Birch Coppice business park, north Warwickshire, has signed a 15-year lease on an 80,000 sq ft unit with IM Properties. The new building will be completed in Q2 2017.

Robert Ginsberg, HiB’s managing director said: “We are delighted to be working with IM Properties on our second unit on Birch Coppice which will allow for further growth over the next 15 years.”

The HiB pre-let follows hot on the heels of IM Properties’ deal with automotive component manufacturer, the Autins Group for a 15-year lease on a 47,250 sq ft unit on the park.

Autins’ new Solar Non-Woven subsidiary will manufacture a new type of micro-fibre insulation created in Korea.

IMP is also delivering a further two units –  282,000 sq ft and 63,000 sq ft in July and August as part of a £50m, Five Live programme. Launched last September, it aims to deliver 500,000 sq ft of speculative space at Birch Coppice, and The Hub, on the outskirts of Birmingham, via five new industrial units.

Rachael Clarke, IMP’s development manager said: “Birch Coppice has been a real success story, with 1.3m sq ft of construction over the past 12 months. It ticks all the boxes for quality of location and product, offering the region’s largest rail link and a size of unit that is in extremely short supply at present.

“Our investment in the Midlands is significant and as a local company we are pleased to be able to work with existing businesses such as HiB to enable them to grow, which in turn helps secure the long-term prosperity of the region.”

Current occupiers on the Birch Coppice scheme include Euro Car Parts, Ocado, Bunzl and UPS.

The agents for Birch Coppice are CBRE, Colliers International and Eagleton & Co.