First business to move into new high-tech business park revealed

THE first phase of the new Baildon Business Park has been given the green light, making way for precision engineering firm Produmax to move production to a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at the site.

The £15m high-tech business park on the edge of Bradford, is being delivered by Pendle Russells, a joint venture between Manchester-based Russells Construction and Lancashire’s Pendle Projects and the Produmax move was confirmed after planning permission for the 28,000 sq ft unit was granted by Bradford Council. Produmax has secured a £600,000 grant from the Regional Growth Fund to support the build and fit out of the factory. The construction project is due to start in March and complete by December.

Produmax, which manufactures parts for customers in aerospace, telecoms and medical devices, will relocate 44 staff from its existing headquarters at Otley and a temporary unit in Yeadon.
 
The new site will provide space for its future expansion with an expected doubling of the workforce in the next 10 years.
 
Jeremy Ridyard, managing director of Produmax, said: “This is the first step in a 10-year expansion programme for Produmax which will allow us to develop the products and services we provide for customers, and long-term should provide an additional 40 jobs. Most of these will be for young people and apprentices coming into the industry as we grow our training programme.
 
“While our current facility has served us well, we have been here since 1975 and are in desperate need of more space. We took a unit in Yeadon as a temporary measure to allow us to meet customer demand, so the new facility will bring together all our staff in one place. Everyone is looking forward to having a modern, purpose built facility and our customers are already asking when we’ll be ready for the extra orders.
 
“Although just five miles from our current site, Baildon is better located for many of our workforce and a good number of people have said they’ll take the opportunity to cycle to work and make the most of the shower and bike stores included in the new building.”
 
Mark Taylforth, from Pendle Russells, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Produmax to the Baildon Business Park and look forward to seeing production start from the new facility.

“It’s very satisfying to have signed up the first occupier for, what is set to become, the premier business location for high-tech firms in the region. After working closely with the regeneration team and planners at Bradford Council, we’ve brought to market a great site in a fantastic location to create a new business park which will bring great benefits to the local employment market.”
 
Baildon Business Park offers a total 140,000 sq ft of business space, with 11,500 sq ft of restaurant / retail available on the road frontage, and is expected to create up to 700 jobs.  The site already has outline planning for B1, B2 and ancillary B8 units.

Agents are in discussions with another six potential occupiers, with two having progressed to legal negotiations, all in the research and development, pharmaceutical or engineering sectors. Detailed planning applications for another four of the units are currently being drawn up by Manchester’s AEW architects.