RISING FROM THE ASHES
The UK’s largest specialist in temperature- controlled van conversions has secured new premises following a summer blaze that devastated one of its manufacturing units.
Coolkit has signed an agreement for a 75,000 sq ft site in Blackburn, eight miles away from its former headquarters in Burnley.
As a robust recovery plan was put into action following the fire, which enabled production to resume at the company’s second unit within days, company founder and chief executive Rupert Gatty then put out an urgent appeal for new premises.
The company, a 2023 Red Rose Awards winner, has now found what it describes as “an ideally situated site” near to the M65.
The CoolKit team has already started to move some of its operations to this site, with the plan to have the entire business relocated by the start of next year.
Rupert said: “We are sorry to be leaving Burnley but the opportunity to move onto such a large site, which is only 300 metres from Junction 6 of the M65, was just too good to miss. The layout is perfect for our future strategy.”
All of the present 100-plus workforce will be transferred over the next few months to the company’s new home.
Last year, CoolKit recorded sales of £20.1m – an increase of 60 per cent on the previous year. Despite the blaze, it still expects to report a further record period this financial year.
A recruitment drive to boost the staffing by 20 per cent was put on hold following the fire but is expected to be relaunched to address the requirements for the bulging order book.
Rupert said: “Another benefit of the new site is that it opens up our travel-to-work catchment area for both production and administration staff. We don’t want to lose any of our present staff. They have responded tremendously to the challenge of keeping up the production in recent weeks despite the disaster.”
Meanwhile, Blackburn-based vaping products manufacturer Dinner Lady announced plans to increase production at its overseas facilities after its Shadsworth site was hit by a major fire.
Its plan was to ramp up production of e-liquids across its international network in order to minimise disruption to its customers following the September blaze.
MOVE US FORWARD Views from Westminster
DECISIONS WILL By Antony Higginbotham
Member of Parliament for Burnley
As Parliament returned at the start of September I had become all too accustomed to commentators talking the UK economy down.
Pessimism reigned supreme as we were told that recovery from the pandemic was non-existent. That we had a sluggish economy, low growth, and a bounce back that was devoid of a spring.
This was of course contrary to what I was seeing and hearing when speaking with business leaders in Lancashire. But it provided a useful stick to beat the government with, and it rumbled on throughout the summer months.
However, since I last wrote in this magazine there has been a complete reversal of that position.
With the ONS publishing it’s latest figures we now learn that the UK economy is two per cent larger than previously reported; that we recovered from the pandemic faster than initially thought; and that contrary to claims, we were in fact the third fastest growing country in the G7 – beating all European countries, including France and Germany – and Japan.
This correction is important as it shows that our businesses – the ones who
employ thousands across Lancashire – have been doing a fantastic job.
It shows that the support provided during Covid, from furlough and business grants, to bounce back loans, made a huge difference.
It was this response that supported businesses and allowed them to bounce back as quickly as they have. And it is sensible long-term decisions rather than quick fixes, which will allow us to take local business forward.
But it isn’t just about looking back. Between now and my next piece in this magazine we’re going to have a King’s Speech and Autumn Statement.
In the run up to this I have met the chancellor twice, making sure he knows about our needs locally.
That includes making sure our tax regime is incentivising growth and investment, and that we tackle worklessness, ensuring that our businesses have access to the labour they need and we don’t create incentives to stay at home.
And we may also see the much talked about devolution deal for Lancashire. Watch this space!
LANCASHIREBUSINES SV
IEW.CO.UK LONG-TERM
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IN VIEW
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