Transport links fuel Chorley's growth

Chorley's strategic location at the heart of Lancashire is helping attract investment, support business growth and strengthen the borough's reputation as a major centre for logistics, manufacturing and industrial development.

Transport, logistics and storage is one of Chorley's fastest-growing sectors, employing 1,875 people, up by 50 per cent since 2015.

The borough's appeal to industrial occupiers is reflected in demand for commercial space, with Chorley Council receiving more than 1,000 inward investment enquiries for industrial units since 2006. Retail has attracted more than 700 enquiries.

Major developments including Matrix Park, Botany Bay, Buckshaw Village and Strawberry Fields have expanded the supply of high-quality commercial space, helping attract businesses ranging from manufacturers to technology-led logistics companies.

Businesses based in Chorley say the combination of location, modern employment sites and access to a skilled workforce is supporting expansion, while commercial property specialists continue to report strong demand for industrial space.

Global tech-driven fulfilment provider fulfilmentcrowd, headquartered at Buckshaw Village, is among the companies benefiting from Chorley's location.

In October, Lancashire Business View reported the business had surpassed £20m in annual revenue for the first time after recording a 27 per cent increase. EBITDA almost doubled to £3.1m, while international revenues accounted for more than 29 per cent of total group revenue.

Chief executive Lee Thompson said: "Our global headquarters is based in Chorley, alongside our high-efficiency UK DTC hub from which we shipped nearly three million items in 2025.

“Chorley has played a fundamental role in our growth, providing exceptional connectivity and specialist local talent.

“With an international airport 30 miles away, excellent rail connections, direct access to the UK's major north-south and east-west motorway networks, and carrier superhubs in nearby Warrington, Chorley provides the ideal base for serving customers across the UK and internationally.

“Just as importantly, Lancashire offers a strong pipeline of skilled professionals across engineering, computer science and operations - expertise that underpins our tech-first fulfilment model.

“As we've grown, we've continued to invest in our people and our Chorley operation, creating a long-term, highly skilled workforce while building a business capable of supporting ambitious brands as they expand globally.”

Brysdales, which specialises in racking, shelving and material handling equipment, operates from a 42,000 sq ft facility on Chorley North Industrial Park.

Managing director Elizabeth Porter and head of central services Charlotte Jones said the move to Chorley had supported the company's growth. The business employed 45 people in 2024 and now has a workforce of 69.

Elizabeth said: "We were previously based on Walton Summit, which was a much larger and more expensive estate. Chorley has proved far more cost-effective.

"Our current site has given us the space to grow and benefits from excellent transport links. We've also had great support from the council, with people like Phil Owen always looking at ways they can help local businesses with projects."

The company has invested around £350,000 in its premises to showcase its capabilities to customers.

Elizabeth added: "It's good to invest in a site you own. We also recruit locally and have a number of employees who live in Chorley. Having a strong local labour market is a real advantage, particularly when we're recruiting production staff and installers."

Charlotte said: "Chorley's continued investment and strong infrastructure create opportunities for businesses to grow, collaborate and innovate.

"Our site is the hub of our operations, enabling us to design, manufacture and deliver storage solutions to customers across the UK and beyond. It provides the foundations for us to continue investing in the business and supporting the evolving needs of the logistics industry."

Award-winning manufacturer Kelmore has also built its growth from a Chorley base.

The business, which manufactures high-performance products for the tiling and flooring industries, has operated from Strawberry Fields since it was established in 2020.

Founder and managing director Mark Kelly said: "When we were searching for a new manufacturing site, we had a set specification that required the right space and location. Strawberry Fields gave us the chance to achieve this, with the capacity to support our planned growth.

"Being based here puts us in a great position to serve our customers across the UK. With hundreds of pallets leaving the site each day through our logistics network and our own transport service, we can provide the fast, flexible service our customers rely on.

"Attracting and recruiting the right talent has been key to our success. As we have grown to a team of almost 70, we have appointed local talent across the business, creating a highly skilled workforce and a fantastic company culture.

"We've invested heavily in our operations and production to support our growth. So far in 2026, revenues are up 37 per cent and dispatched pallet volumes have increased by 34 per cent."

Group55 is another manufacturer that has chosen Chorley as the base for its next phase of growth.

In April 2025, Lancashire Business View reported that the personal care manufacturing partner had relocated from sites in Buckshaw Village and Leyland to a new 135,000 sq ft facility in Chorley, bringing product formulation, manufacturing, fulfilment and logistics under one roof.

Managing director Rob Banks said: "It's been transformational. We now employ 140 people in the region, from production operatives to qualified development chemists and a wide range of skilled professionals in between.

"From this single site we ship more than 250,000 deliveries a year to more than 100 countries, for our own brands and on behalf of our customers.

"We're proud to be the first B Corp certified business in Chorley, and we think this is exactly the kind of advanced, responsible manufacturing that Lancashire should be known for."