BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
Rutland Plastics has just received planning consent for the redevelopment of their manufacturing site in Oakham.
The business has grown substantially since it was founded in 1956 and the plans show the commitment to the next 50 years.
Plans for the extended premises have been drawn up by HSSP Architects and they will now add the final details. Work is expected to start in the autumn, with the first of three phases. First to be built will be the new office block in front of the existing injection moulding bays. This will enable all the company’s administrative staff to be brought together along with the quality control department as well as a new employee rest area.
Once completed this will enable the demolition of the current office, toolroom and maintenance area. This will be replaced by another production bay. The additional space will result in an improved toolmaking area as well as space for additional moulding machines. Production flow will also be improved by moving machining and assembly operations into the main factory. Currently these are housed in the rear of the former hosiery factory next door. This space was acquired in 1989 at a time when Rutland Plastics was seeing rapid growth in the manufacture of electrofusion fittings for the gas and water industries.
When Coats Viyella closed in 2000, Rutland Plastics bought the rest of the building with a view to further expansion at some point in the future. That time has now arrived and the final phase will see the demolition of this entire building to be replaced by new warehousing. This will still leave a large area at the rear of the site for future expansion as and when required.
The expansion could lead to new jobs. Company Secretary, Mike Logan said: “Eventually we hope there will be more jobs created. As a manufacturing business we are putting plans in place to develop the factory that will put us in good stead for the next 50 years.”
In total this development should provide a further 1000 square metres of space.
The newsletter will carry regular updates and photos of progress over the coming months.
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