‘Proactive’ LEP and county help Cannock firm’s success
The latest addition to a Staffordshire business park has started operations at its new base as the county continues to see near full employment.
HellermannTyton has relocated to Cannock’s Kingswood Lakeside – a site created by Staffordshire County Council from an old open cast mine. The company is a leading cable management manufacturer of products for fastening, fixing and protecting cables and connecting components. It supplies a wide range of industries from electronics to telecommunications and automotive.
The company’s new UK distribution base incorporates state-of-the-art conference facilities, along with product demonstration areas. It is developing space for the training of staff as part of HellermannTyton’s academy programme and to introduce customers to the company’s extensive product range.
Today the final unemployment claimant count statistics of the year were issued, with the Staffordshire figure at 0.9 per cent of the local population – the same as last month though with 125 less claimants. The national figure is 1.8 per cent and the regional figure stands at 2.3 per cent. With continued near full employment, Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader Mark Winnington said the focus was now on creating better paid, better skilled jobs.
HellermannTyton’s development saw a £750,000 investment from the Government’s Growing Places Fund through the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership and supported by the county council. There has been wider investment by the county council in creating Kingswood Business Park.
Jon Churchley, commercial manager at HellermannTyton, said: “With our growth over recent years we recognised the need to accommodate the company’s ambitions and plans for the future. Our new development in Staffordshire will allow us to offer new capabilities such as customer conference facilities, while also improving our staff training facilities. Councils can play an important part in supporting businesses looking to expand – making the conditions right and carrying out the essential infrastructure work needed. In Staffordshire we have a proactive county council and LEP, making a positive contribution which makes a difference to companies like ours. We can now welcome customers to our facility that is accessible from across the country and offering new capabilities that will enhance HellermannTyton’s position as a global market leader in cable management solutions.”
Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership chairman David Frost CBE said: “HellermannTyton’s expansion into purpose-built new premises is yet another example of success driven by the strong partnerships we have created between the public and private sectors
“The LEP is working with a range of local government and business partners to identify the growth opportunities that will create more and better jobs for local people and help our region to thrive.”
Staffordshire County Council’s economy leader Mark Winnington said: “Kingswood Lakeside is one of our key business investment sites and welcoming HellermannTyton is further demonstration of its success. It shows how working with the LEP and other councils, we are supporting business and securing investment. This is another flagship business for Staffordshire and a leader in its sector. Its relocation here will allow the company to expand, develop the skills of its workforce and create jobs. This comes at a time when we are seeing near full employment in Staffordshire and we’re pleased to have been able to support the development.”
Meanwhile land opposite HellermannTyton is being developed to house the new headquarters of Cannock-based catering equipment distributor First Choice Group. Its developer, Opus Land, has also had plans approved by the district council for two speculative developments on two more plots, covering 14 acres of land. The developments could create up to 425 jobs. Kingswood Lakeside is already home to environmental management firm Veolia and logistics company APC Overnight.
Other county council developed business sites are now nearing full occupancy. At i54 South Staffordshire two more companies recently announced relocation to the site – British security hardware and electronics business ERA and engineering firm Tentec Ltd. Redhill in Stafford will be home to two new facilities for the town’s biggest employer General Electric while a speculative unit by Birmingham developer Trebor is now nearing completion.
Photo caption: Left – Cannock Chase Council’s cabinet member for economic development and planning Gordon Alcott. Back to front: Mark Winnington, Cannock Chase Council leader George Adamson, Jon Churchley, David Frost CBE.
