PROPERTY
PAWS TO THINK ABOUT
YOUR NEXT BUSINESS MOVE
Pet owners have no need to
paws for thought when it comes
to deciding where to buy their
beloved animals’ top quality
name tags following a breakout
engraving business’s move close
to Stockton’s “golden mile”.
A
ndy Blackett and wife Mandy
have moved their booming
Engraving Studios firm into
a newly revamped 2,400 sq-ft unit on
Arkgrove Industrial Estate on Ross Road
near bustling Portrack Lane.
Teesside’s leading property developers
Mandale Group have spent £1m giving
part of Arkgrove a major makeover to
bring it into the 21st century.
Engraving Studios specialise in
producing and engraving top quality
brass and durable plastic cat and dog
tags from scratch, and have become the
first company to move into one of six
brand new units which have been given
a serious spruce-up and made available
to let this summer.
It represents a significant step for the
expanding business, which began in the
humble surrounds of Andy and Mandy’s
shed at their Fairfield home five years
ago and now has a £300,000 turnover
after outgrowing Stockton Business
Centre, which they had occupied for the
past three years.
Engraving Studios have five staff, with
two employees running the workshop
and experienced Andy and Mandy
doing the deep engraving, which is
renowned for being longer-lasting than
draft and laser engraving.
Andy’s dad Phillip helps out three
days a week on the packing and
distribution side, and the couple hope
to take on another staff member in
September.
They are currently working
with a consultant to try to further
internationalise the business through
website sales, and have had help from
Tees Valley Business Compass to buy
new cutting, finishing and polishing
machinery to meet their expansion
needs.
Engraving Studios also sell hand-
made collars and leads, and produce
horse nameplates and other nameplates
and plaques in a variety of materials,
shapes and sizes.
“It’s been a bit of whistle-stop tour
for us, but we’ve worked hard to get to
where we are now in a short space of
time and we are very happy with how it’s
“We’re somewhere in the middle, so
it’s ideal, and Mandale have been great
to deal with from day one.
“Although Mandale are a big company,
they’re only ever a phone call away.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend
Mandale or Arkgrove Industrial Estate
to other businesses making a new step
like ourselves.”
Mandale Group estates director
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Mandale or
Arkgrove Industrial Estate to other businesses
making a new step like ourselves.”
all going,” said Andy.
Andy says he “wouldn’t hesitate” to
recommend an Arkgrove move to other
firms after being impressed with the
location and set-up, and the service they
have received from Mandale and its
estates director Joe Darragh.
“We looked all over Stockton and at
the units that were available at the time,”
said Andy, 37. “Mandale had finished
the new Arkgrove units and it is just
what we need.
“They are clean and modern, and
location-wise it’s perfect for us - so
moving in was a no-brainer really.
“It fits the bill perfectly for what
we are - we aren’t a grubby backstreet
workshop, but nor are we a mainstream
high-street office either.
Joe said the company is “absolutely
delighted to have the Engraving Studio
move into Arkgrove as our first clients”.
“They’re a fast-growing business who
now have space to expand,” he added.
“We think it’s the perfect place for
them, as it’s a high-quality unit, spacious
and easily accessible for themselves and
customers.
“We’re in talks with three further
businesses and getting lots of interest in
the other units of varying sizes.
“They really are spot on for a variety
of businesses – sales, distribution,
manufacturing or industrial.”
For further information about
Mandale’s units at Arkgrove Industrial
Estate, contact Joe Darragh on 07973
908599 or email [email protected]
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