Property news: MAG signs Kewill; Patterson & Rothwell buys again; Handelsbanken relocates Liverpool HQ; CPUK; Colliers
LOGISTICS software firm Kewill has taken a 10,000 sq ft office at 4M at Manchester Airport.
Kewill, whose clients include Shop Direct Group and Heineken, supports more than 7,500 companies in more than 100 countries.
MAG property director John Atkins said: “We are delighted to welcome Kewill to Manchester Airport where they are in good company alongside other international firms such as Etihad, Handlesbanken and Sherwin Williams.
“They are well located within our Airport City north site development, which will see the surrounding area transformed into an international business hub within the next 10 years. The letting sees our prime office stock rise to 94% occupancy, showcasing a real opportunity for new businesses attracted to Airport City.”
Jan-Paul Boos, Kewill’s European senior vice president, said: “The new premises on-site at Manchester Airport will make visiting us very easy for employees, customers and partners from the UK and worldwide, as well as providing state-of-the art office space and meeting and training facilities to meet the needs of our growing business.”
MAG Property was advised by property agents CBRE and WHR.
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OLDHAM injection moulding group Patterson & Rothwell has acquired the 126,000 sq ft Bee Works in Royton.
It comes weeks after the group’s acquisition of the former Barcrest site in Ashton-under-Lyne.
The vendor, who was not disclosed, was asking £2.35m for the seven-acre site.
Director Alan Rothwell said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to expand our manufacturing capabilities. This acquisition is the first step in our strategy to improve our potential in both export and domestic markets.”
Nolan Redshaw and Knight Frank were joint agents.
Nolan Rdshaw director Paul Nolan said: “This is a significant transaction for north Manchester and the regional market as a whole.”
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SWEDISH bank, Handelsbaken has signed a lease with Space North West to take 3,000 sq ft at Exchange Station, which has recently undergone a £5m redevelopment.
Handelsbanken will relocate its Liverpool headquarters on a 10 year lease.
Keith Lowe, branch manager for Handelsbanken, said: “We are very much looking forward to relocating to Exchange Station. The office space itself is fantastic and the newly refurbished concourse is a real plus point for us as it will be a great space for us to entertain clients on a less formal basis. All of our employees in the Liverpool office are very much looking forward to the move which will strengthen our presence in the city and allow us to conduct even more business in 2014.”
Emily Armstrong, asset manager for Exchange Station, said: “We have worked closely with the bank to help find the right space to accommodate the full Liverpool team and we are delighted that Exchange Station has been able to fit their requirements perfectly.”
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BUILDER Construction Partnership UK (CPUK) has been awarded a £1m contract for the expansion and refurbishment of a West Cumbrian retail park by commercial property giant Land Securities.
The redevelopment of Derwent Howe Retail Park in Workington is Skelmersdale-based CPUK’s first major contract with Land Securities.
It will construct a new 6,000 sq ft retail unit and is recladding and reconfiguring an existing 10,000 sq ft unit.
Steve Burke, managing director of CPUK, said: “This is one of a number of expansion and refurbishment contracts for retail park developments that we have been appointed on this year.
“That increase in retail activity, led by out-of-town developments, has been a sign of the growing confidence that now exists as the recovery slowly takes hold.
“We are now working on retail projects with two of the biggest names in commercial property; Land Securities and Peel Holdings. And we continue to develop our strong relationships with clients who have a good repeat profile.”
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THE hotels team at the North West office of Colliers International in Manchester sold 17 hotels in the North West and North Wales last year.
This was up from 16 in 2012 and represented nearly a fifth of the 100 hotels sold by the national Colliers team.
Key North West and North Wales deals included: Etrop Grange Hotel, Cheshire; Glenville House, Windermere; Latimer House, Windermere; Hazel Bank Country House, Borrowdale; Gwydyr Hotel, Betws-y-Coed; Baytree Hotel, Llandudno and Milverton House, Llandudno.
Julian Troup, the Manchester-based director and head of UK Hotels Agency at Colliers said: “The whole of our hotel agency business has enjoyed an outstanding year. At the beginning of the year the target was market share and an increased focus on larger going concern hotel sales and hotel investment sales. I am delighted to announce that we have greatly exceeded all expectations.
“86% of the transactional activity was on going concern sales and the remaining 14% on investment sales in terms of deals, with interest generated from a diverse range of buyers and investors. We are also seeing an increasing number of international investors entering the scene, which is particularly encouraging.”
