Clean air technology specialist, Howorth Air Technology, which designs, manufactures, and assembles ultraclean air equipment for use in operating theatres, and for the pharma, biotechnology, and life science industries, is moving its headquarters to ‘a flagship north-west development’ to meet growing demand and its future expansion plans.
It is relocating its HQ from Victoria Works on Lorne Street, Farnworth, Bolton, where it has had a base for almost 150 years, to a 33,000 ft2 two-storey detached unit at Logistics North on Bolton’s Lomax Way. The site’s extensive shopfloor space will accommodate Howorth’s pharma assembly operations, plus offices housing medical and pharmaceutical operations, alongside its finance, HR, IT, technical, purchasing, marketing, and health and safety teams.
Howorth is retaining its presence at Raven Locks in Little Hulton, Salford, as home to its medical fabrication operations, and its service and aftersales team. The relocation to Logistics North is due for completion by the end of November, with Howorth making an initial investment of £500,000. Its Lorne Street site has been acquired by Bolton-based Handrail Creations, and will remain as a manufacturing facility. Howorth currently turns over more than £20 m a year, and employs over 130 staff across its operations in the UK and the US.
The Logistics North development is a high-profile scheme next to junction four of the M61, comprising four million ft2of space across 250 acres. Occupiers include MBDA, Aldi, Whistl, Amazon, Green King, and Lidl. The site has a BREAAM ‘very good’ rating.
Howorth’s COO, Adam Ainslie (pictured right, with Pharma Operations director, Carlo Rava at the new HQ), said Logistics North ‘stood out as the ideal choice’ for the group’s new HQ.
He said: “We wanted to remain within the Bolton area to minimise disruption to our loyal workforce. Our new premises also needed to be built to the highest efficiency standards to meet our Net Zero ambitions, to provide enough floor space and flexibility to satisfy our current and future needs as we look to expand, provide sufficient office space to house a growing workforce, and have good transport links. The site at Logistics North fulfils all these requirements.”
Adam Ainslie added: “As the business continues to expand in the UK and overseas, the need for additional space has become more of a priority. Pharma projects are increasing in number and size, with the accompanying requirement for additional assembly areas. Our move to Logistics North comes at an exciting time for Howorth, as we start to complete another large-scale containment project for a Tier 1 pharmaceutical client. Our new facility will enable us to deliver larger and more complex containment suites in line with client demand.
“As well as expanding in the UK, we continue growing our operations in the US from our base in Charlotte, North Carolina, and are looking to further develop our pharma operations in Europe.”
A fit-out of the new premises has been undertaken by Eatock Design & Build. The layout has been designed to maximise the workspace, and features breakout and collaboration areas and meeting pods. Paul Eatock, MD of Eatock Design & Build, explained: “To support Howorth’s sustainability initiatives, our design team has opted for locally sourced, eco-friendly materials with a low carbon impact. All desks, storage, and planter units, are made from sustainably sourced materials. The acoustic booths and new flooring are both 100 per cent recyclable.”
JLL was the industrial property agent acting on both Howorth’s sale of Victoria Works and its new facility at Logistics North, while MLP Law provided legal advice.
Kenny Macfarlane, MD of Handrail Creations, which manufactures and supplies commercial handrails, said: “The purchase of Victoria Works was the ultimate way to celebrate 10 years in industry, and demonstrates the phenomenal growth we’ve seen in that time. This new factory is three times bigger than our current one, giving us tremendous scope to improve our process, develop our staff, and deliver more contracts annually. As Howorth was based at Victoria Works for almost 150 years, the factory is steeped in its heritage, and we are proud to carry on this legacy.”
