WORK UNDER WAY
Construction starts on Hillthorn Business Park
WASHINGTON & HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING NEWS
Appliance services firm continues UK expansion with Scottish Highlands business acquisition
Construction of the first phase of an £ 80m industrial development is underway in Washington .
Legal & General-backed Hillthorn Business Park is on-track with GMI Construction Group poised to deliver the first tranche of buildings – seven of ten that will eventually stand on the site when it is fully developed – set to be completed by November .
The work is part of a two-phased plan to deliver 620,000 sq ft of industrial and advanced manufacturing space close to Nissan and is expected to create 1,600 new jobs in Sunderland .
The development is being funded , procured and delivered by Legal & General ’ s Industrial Property Investment Fund , and is already being marketed to a range of occupiers .
It represents the institutional investor ’ s second commitment in Sunderland , with £ 100m currently being ploughed into Riverside Sunderland .
Designed to support the needs of industrial , advanced manufacturing ,
storage and distribution businesses in the area and aid economic growth , Hillthorn complements the International Advanced Manufacturing Park ( IAMP ), which is gathering pace just a stone ’ s throw away , and Turbine Business Park , which is also the chosen location of a range of advanced manufacturing businesses .
Collectively , the sites will position Sunderland at the heart of advanced manufacturing in the UK .
Councillor Graeme Miller , leader of Sunderland City Council , said : “ I ’ m so pleased to see Hillthorn Business Park moving forward .
“ This is a strategically significant site , that is superbly positioned and will ensure that the city unlocks its potential as a hub for advanced manufacturing .”
Hillthorn Business Park is an allocated employment site , which means that it has been earmarked for development for some time .
The business park will sit alongside the existing Vantec operation which has been on site since 2016 .
Pacifica Appliance Services , which is part of Pacifica Group , has expanded its UK employed engineer footprint with the acquisition of Highland Appliance Services .
The deal is part of an ambitious buy-and-build strategy as Houghton-le- Spring-based Pacifica aims to consolidate the appliance repair sector and is currently identifying other companies that could join the business .
Inverness-based Highland Appliance Services has more than 30 years ’ home appliances experience .
Regeneration plans to follow as much-loved mining museum is repaired
Green engineering Plc to move into Sunderland
An AIM-listed green engineering firm is expanding into Sunderland and on-shoring from China , after securing a facility in Houghton-le-Spring .
Saietta Group , a UK based global business that specialises in the design , development and supply of electric powertrains , has signed a lease on the former ZF site in Rainton Bridge , in a move that will accelerate Saietta ’ s expansion plans and support the advancement of e-drive solutions .
The move relocates e-motor production from China , a boost for UK Plc that strengthens Sunderland ’ s position as a European manufacturing hub .
Houghton firm invests in hightech Mercedes-Benz truck
Wessington Cryogenics enjoys a global reputation for the design , quality and reliability of the storage vessels and tanks it manufactures .
No surprise , then , that when it came to purchase its first truck , the Sunderland firm chose a brand whose name is synonymous with the same attributes – Mercedes-Benz . The 18-tonne Actros was supplied by Teesside-based dealer Bell Truck and Van and boasts a full complement of advanced technology .
Established in 1984 , Wessington Cryogenics is based in Houghton-le-Spring and offers a comprehensive range of dewars ( specialised vacuum flasks ), vessels for storing liquid nitrogen , argon , oxygen and helium , and ISO tank containers , as well as bespoke ‘ specials ’ for specific applications .
Essential repair works have now been completed at the historic Washington F Pit Museum to preserve its industrial heritage and help sustain its role as a much-loved visitor attraction .
The Grade II listed F-Pit Engine House is one of only ten Scheduled Ancient Monuments in Sunderland and is an iconic landmark that showcases the important history of coal mining in the region .
Sunderland City Council has spent £ 310,000 undertaking an extensive package of repair works to bring the Engine House back into good condition including roof , window , brick , render and internal joinery repairs .
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