Exertis plans major Lancashire expansion

Burnley Bridge Business Park is set to welcome its largest occupier after technology distribution business, Exertis, signed a contract with developers, Eshton, for a 543,620 sq ft national distribution centre at the 70-acre park.

And councillor Mark Townsend, of Burnley Council, told the Lancashire Telegraph that he believes as many as 300 jobs will be created when the site opens.

Exertis distributes more than 350 technology brands and works with 14,000 customers across Europe, Exertis is the latest occupier to be announced at Burnley Bridge Business Park, following deals with Birchall Foodservice, YESSS Electrical and Equinox Building Services Ltd.

The planning application by Leeds-based developers, Eshton, was recently given the green light by Burnley Borough Council and the deal will make Exertis the largest occupier to-date as negotiations continue for space remaining at the £50m business park.

Gerry O’Keeffe from Exertis commented: “Burnley Bridge Business Park’s superb location at junction 9 of the M65 makes it an ideal site at which to continue expansion of our distribution business.

“We searched all over the UK for a suitable site, but here we can custom-build our own premises whilst also maintaining our existing workforce by not moving too far away from our current base at Altham Business Park.

“The new distribution operation we will build at Burnley Bridge Business Park will prepare the company for further growth while giving us a strategic geographical base in East Lancashire that complements our existing facilities in Raunds and Elland.”

Construction work on the 543,620 sq ft unit is expected to begin later this month and will be undertaken by Bowmer & Kirkland. Exertis aims to become fully operational at the site by early 2017.

James Chapman, managing director of Eshton, added: “We believe this is the largest distribution property deal in the region this year and it is not only great news for Burnley Bridge Business Park but also for the local area.

“The fact that the park has attracted a major player of this calibre to establish such a substantial distribution hub here demonstrates once again the huge potential of this site and reiterates Burnley’s reputation as the Department of Innovation & Skills’ ‘Most Enterprising Area of the UK 2013’.”

Cllr Mark Townsend told the Lancashire Telegraph: “Exertis are set to create over 300 new jobs in the borough and this is fantastic news.

“The council is working hard to promote the borough and our development sites to attract new investment, and continues to invest in new infrastructure that can rival sites across the region.

“Burnley Bridge is set to create many new jobs for the area and we look forward to our continued partnership working with Eshton to secure further occupants for the site.”

Delivered with the help of £3.85m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and support from Lancashire’s Growing Places, the business park is expected to create 1,400 sustainable jobs once fully-occupied. The development was launched in February 2014 at an opening ceremony in The Cobalt Building, the first speculative unit to be completed on the site.