Our industrial & logistics agency team has successfully facilitated the move of an industrial supplier in the Black Country which hadn’t relocated for over four decades to continue its growth and safeguard jobs.
We have secured new premises for Orapi Applied Ltd, a world-leading UK manufacturer of specialist chemicals and paint shop consumables, at Britannia Point in Wednesbury.
The firm was appointed to search for state-of-the-art accommodation to replace Orapi’s ageing premises in Smethwick, while incorporating numerous operational needs including significant power supply and to continue the employment of key members of staff.
The new 57,421 sq ft facility on a 5.5-acre site at Britannia Point, which is only five miles away from Orapi’s previous home, has safeguarded jobs, created capacity for future recruitment and future-proofed the business.
Mark Pearson, Manufacturing Director at Orapi, said: “We faced real challenges, from securing a power supply capable of supporting growth, to planning seamless machinery relocation without disrupting production, but the result is a flexible, future-proof facility that supports our ambitious growth plan.”
Partner and Head of Commercial Transactional, Mike Price, led the search across the Black Country for premises which would meet Orapi’s needs for the short and long-term. He said: “Several opportunities were identified, but Britannia Point in Wednesbury was pinpointed as the ideal facility. During the selection process, four other potential opportunities were identified, and we assessed not only the property but the owners of the sites and their ability to partner with Orapi on such an important move.
“Britannia Point is owned and managed by Folkes Properties, who are based in the Black Country and was an excellent fit as a long-term landlord. The existing facility had a power supply that was under-capacity for Orapi’s needs, but we quickly established that there was available supply within the network and through negotiations with the landlord, the power supply was upgraded as part of the leasing transaction.
“The complexity of the transaction was significant; negotiations included not only agreeing a lease term and rental level, but a significant incentive package which included the landlord providing a capital contribution rather than rent free to facilitate the power upgrade.
“The timing of the transaction was managed in detail by our team to ensure that it married up with the lease expiry on their existing facility, to minimise the period of time where Orapi would be responsible for two buildings.
“Overall, it was an extremely complex transaction, but the new home for Orapi has satisfied their operational needs, whilst also ensuring a strong working connection with their landlord, with whom they will have a business relationship for the next 15 years.”