Estate’s bonded store for imported wind turbines

One of the first open-air bonded storage facilities in Scotland has been created at the Hillington Park premises of the Gordon Leslie Group. But it’s not for the wines and spirits trade, although the logistics company also caters for that!

The new set-up outside the bonded warehouses off Penilee Road promises to increase the company’s turnover by around £500,000 each year. It will enable imported but as-yet-unsold wind turbine towers, blades and nacelles to be held in secure surroundings, to allow duties to be deferred until the final sale.

Managing director Craig Leslie explained: “We were approached back in March by Northern Power, an American enterprise, who were searching for a company to manage the import, storage and delivery of wind turbines from different parts of the world into the UK.

“After investigating what would be involved, we realised that we would have to apply to HM Revenue and Customs to establish an out-ofdoors bonded storage facility, which is very unusual, but we were successful.

“As a result, we have reached an agreement with Northern Power on a long-term relationship of at least three to five years. And, as well as simply storing these major pieces of engineering, we have also been contracted to manage the whole service, co-ordinating all freight movements, including loading and unloading, transportation and delivery to the final construction sites, wherever they might be in the UK.”

Already the Gordon Leslie bonded yard has more-or-less filled up with a couple of dozen of the huge tubular steel tower sections, each weighing up to 15 tonnes. These have been imported from China, while the generators and nacelles, and the rotating blades, have come in from Italy.

The company has invested in three large new flatback trailer vehicles to cope with onward transportation requirements, and have demolished a big old water tank as part of a plan to extend their secure yard to create space for more imports in the future.

“We’ve jumped through some considerable hoops for Northern Power,” said Craig Leslie. “And they seem happy with what we are doing for them. We have been rewarded with a much bigger and ongoing contract, as long as government policies continue to favour wind generating constructions.

“Most of these units are destined to be constructed on agricultural land around Scotland, where a single wind turbine would power most of the local farming needs, while a second would export to the grid to earn extra money for the farmer.”

The enterprising development at Hillington Park is stirring up quite a bit of interest from the Scottish Government – and in particular from local Renfrewshire North & West MSP Derek Mackay, the minister for local government and planning, who visited the Gordon Leslie Group site earlier this month.

Contact: Craig Leslie, 0141 883 9076.

New Laundry Business is Cleaning Up

A new laundrette in Hillington Park set up by a young entrepreneur is already proving a hit.

LaundryLand, located in the Retail Centre is run by Raheel Naeem, 26, a recent graduate from Glasgow University.

His father owns the Hillington Park post office so while being self-employed is something he knows about, LaundryLand is his first independent venture.

The laundry does not offer self-service facilities but instead guarantees a quick turnaround so that workers on the Park can drop off their items and pick them up at a convenient time – meaning they can go to work knowing their laundry is being done.

Raheel said "This is my first attempt at starting my own new business and it is proving challenging and very enjoyable. I have had a lot of support from people and businesses in Hillington Park who are keen to see me succeed in this venture. I hope LaundryLand becomes popular within the working community at Hillington Park, and I'm very happy with the way the business has progressed so far."

“We are delighted that Raheel has chosen Hillington Park for his first business venture,” says Roddy Proudfoot, Leasing Manager at Hillington Park. “This is the first laundry based on the Park and adds to the list of amenities that we offer. At MEPC we are committed to developing and expanding the amenity offering around the Park and LaundryLand is just another business helping us do that.”

To find out more about LaundryLand contact Raheel on 0141 882 5909 or email him on raheel.naeem@laundry-land.co.uk

Expansion Announced at Popular Hillington Park Business Cantre

A popular business centre based at Hillington Park has completed an expansion by adding 18 new offices to its top floor.

Merlin Business Centre, located in the west of Scotland’s largest business park, is already home to 30 small businesses.

Two of the offices have already been snapped up by companies Etellect and Koopman International.

The recently refurbished third floor has been converted into individual suites with a shared kitchen and an informal networking space.

The offices are a welcome addition to Merlin Business Centre which is one of the most sought after locations within Hillington Park due to its prominent position and easy access to the M8 motorway.

The new suites range in size from 205 sq ft to accommodate two to three people, to a larger 786 sq ft which can be used for up to eight people.

“We felt this was the perfect opportunity to expand Merlin Business Centre to meet demand at this location,” says Alison Clark, MEPC Marketing and Customer Manager. “All eighteen offices in the fully managed business centre provide small companies with the platform to grow their businesses and, with the environment generated at Merlin with other businesses, there is a real feeling of belonging. These new suites will further enhance Merlin Business Centre and Hillington Park overall as a perfect location for ambitious businesses.”

Etellect has a long association with Hillington Park; the company has moved several times within Hillington Park as the company has expanded and developed. Now, going through another period of growth, the specialist eCommerce and eBusiness consultancy has taken up residence in one of Merlin’s new offices.

The company offers clients a comprehensive and tailored eBusiness consultancy service and suggests how their business can become more profitable by embracing technology.

Julia Lavelle, Director at Etellect said: “Etellect have enjoyed a long relationship with Hillington Park and our move to Merlin Business Centre allows us to enjoy all the benefits of a serviced office at a price that is affordable to our business. With clients all across central Scotland the access to the motorway and good public transport links are essential and allows us to be as accessible as possible to our clients. MEPC have been very accommodating with our requirements and have made this move as pain free as possible.”

Koopman International B.V is the largest importer and distributor of non-food goods in Europe. The Dutch, family run company has been established since 1937 and its Scottish base has relocated to the Merlin Business Centre as it provides them easy access to both the motorway and airport.

Sean Campbell of Koopman said: “Our business model is to take prospective UK buyers across to our showroom in Amsterdam to show them the full ranges of our items, and so we have to fly over every other week. Being based in Merlin Business Centre is perfect for us as it’s not only close to the motorway for when we have to drive to England, but also it’s merely minutes away from the airport. Our office is fully managed also which is a huge benefit and the view is a nice bonus.”

As Scotland’s largest and most established business park, Hillington Park is a safe, well maintained environment with two train stations, two minutes from the motorway and two miles from Glasgow’s International Airport. The on-site Park service team has the flexibility to meet all workspace requirements and are committed to creating long-term relationships where a business can grow, succeed and belong.

In 2011 the Park won a ‘Biodiversity Benchmark’ from the Wildlife Trusts, becoming the first business park in Britain to be recognised for the quality of its environmental management.

MEPC manages some of the UK’s best known commercial property. With a £1bn portfolio, it is a leader in its field with eight Business Estates in prime locations throughout the UK. Together it provides over 10m sq. ft. of high quality space for more than 1,000 organisations, employing 20,000 people. Offices To Let Glasgow

Hillington Park

Are you looking for offices to let or rent in the Glasgow area? Are you looking for high quality office space with the flexibility to meet your companies future needs?
If so then here on Hillington Park we're confident we can help you secure the accommodation you need to help you concentrate on growing your business.

Offices To Let / Rent Glasgow

The Arc - 3,315 sq ft (308 sq m) - 3,337 sq ft (310 sq m)

• Distinctive office development with crescent design
• Self contained single storey office unit
• Dedicated front door and toilet facilites
• BREEAM very good rating
• View 360 panorama

Cameron Court - 3535 sq ft (328 sq m)

• Refurbished mainly open plan layout with 4 office/meeting rooms
• Raised access floor with powered floor boxes
• Dedicated toilet facilities
• Flexible lease options at competitive rates

Centura Court - 2,374 sq ft (221 sq m) - 4,681 sq ft (435 sq m)

• Mainly open plan layout with reception area and 4 office/meeting rooms
• Raised access metal floors and 2.7 metre ceiling height
• Double glazing and central heating
• Close proximity to public transport links

Innovation Centre Serviced Offices - 85 - 1,100 sq ft (8 - 102 sq m)

• Fully inclusive serviced offices
• In house business advisory support
• Leased line internet connection
• 157 Car parking spaces
• For current availability please see www.innovationcentre.org/hillington
  or call the management team on 0141 585 6300 

Merlin Business Centre - 200 - 2,000 sq ft (18.6 - 185.8 sq m)

• Managed office suites
• Flexible licenses inclusive of service charge, electricity and cleaning
• Potential qualification for small business rates relief
• Leased line internet connection

BeeKeeping Classes Created a Buzz Around Hillington Park

Nature lovers in Hillington Park can get a buzz at lunchtime – by attending beekeeping classes.

Warren Bader of Plan Bee who will be hosting the lessons said: “It is fantastic that a company like MEPC are so forward thinking in its approach. MEPC understand that it has to put in place safe guards now for balanced environment and ecology in the workplace. Few companies have seized the opportunities to promote sustainable industry like MEPC.”

The classes which are held in the Hillington Park Urban Gardens, have already attracted a lot of attention, with workers in the Park interested in learning more about bees and how to produce honey.

The lessons are another reminder of Hillington Park’s biodiversity commitments and its dedication to achieving its sustainability aims.

In 2011 the Park won a ‘Biodiversity Benchmark’ from the Wildlife Trusts, becoming the first business park in Britain to be recognised for the quality of its environmental management, and since then has continued its biodiversity project.

The beekeeping classes come as MEPC, the majority site owner and developer of Hillington Park, are in the process of adding to the Park’s amenity offering. The Park, west of Scotland’s largest business park, already boasts two train stations, a nursery, a post office and a variety of food outlets including a Harvester pub and restaurant.

Plan Bee, a company that champions biodiversity with businesses and local communities will host the classes, with beekeeper Warren Bader sharing his expert knowledge and passing on his tips.

The bee hives are based in an area which is also home to 12 allotments for Hillington Park companies. Already seven of the plots have been adopted by businesses with employees spending time tending the crops and planting and growing fruit and vegetables. The bee hives will help pollinate the garden and will eventually lead to home grown ’MEPC Honey'.

“We are very proud of our green credentials and in particular winning the award from the Wildlife Trusts, but we are aware that there is always more to be done,” says Grant Edmondson, Managing Director of MEPC Hillington Park. “Along with the allotments and beekeeping classes, we have also installed bird boxes and have biodiversity areas to allow plant life to flourish. The amount of interest we have seen so far has been excellent as many people understand the importance of enhancing the local environment. These projects also add to the big community at Hillington Park and increases people’s sense of belonging.”

The beekeeping classes are held fortnightly on Tuesday’s at 12.30. To register your interest please contact Alison Clark on awclark@mepc.com

Annual Shoebox Appeal Launched

The annual Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal has been launched and companies based at Hillington Park are being asked to take part.

The charity encourages people to fill a shoebox with simple gifts that will then be sent to some of the world’s poorest countries, giving thousands of children a Christmas to remember.

The boxes are given to all age groups and are delivered to a number of countries including Albania, Romania and Pakistan.

Every year the charity, located at Hillington Park on 35-37 Montrose Road, is delighted with the generosity of its neighbours and hopes to make 2012 another successful year.

Alan Swanson of Blythswood Care said: “Every year we send over 100,000 shoeboxes across the world and we are grateful to everyone who has contributed to our appeal over the years. Even the most simplest of gifts can bring a smile to someone’s face and give them joy this Christmas. We always receive a wonderful response from people within Hillington Park including everyone at BAA Business Support Centre, and hopefully we can see the same again as Christmas approaches.”

“We’ve supported Blythswood Care Shoebox Appeal for a number of years,” says Grant Edmondson, Managing Director, Hillington Park. “We know that others on the Park ensure have a shoebox filled every year for this worthwhile cause and we hope that this year is another successful one for the charity.”

Blythswood Care also welcomes volunteers to come along and help at the sorting station throughout November. This can be on an individual basis or as a group.

For more information call Blythswood Care on 0141 882 0585.

Haven’s total success in WEEE recycling services

Haven, the social enterprise specialists, has celebrated its 75 years of enlightened employment policies by opening a brand new, dedicated and secure recycling facility at Hillington Park.

The move follows a successful first year in business for Haven Recycle, initially based at the company’s Atholl Avenue site, where it continues to deliver high-volume contract packing services to the drinks industry.

Haven have provided meaningful employment for disabled and disadvantaged adults for more than 30 years at Hillington Park. The company’s decision to enter the profitable recycling market was proclaimed on the front page of the Hillington Herald two years ago.

Now, Haven has achieved an annual turnover of more than £2 million, and is anticipating further growth in the next few years as its new facility on Watt Road reaches its full potential.

Haven Recycle has a full SEPA waste management license and offers Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling.

Commercial manager Ewan Fisher said: “This includes data destruction and processing of all IT and electrical equipment. Quite literally, 100% of all material collected from customers is recycled, and absolutely nothing goes to landfill.

“Haven Recycle has already secured some high-profile local customers, including NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, and the University of the West of Scotland. For both, we are now the sole provider of IT and electrical recycling services.”

Andrew Reid, the NHS’s Asset User Provisioning Manager for the area, commented: “Over the past six months, Haven Recycle have been delivering a reliable, cost-effective way of realising value from our redundant IT assets, providing best value for the taxpayer.

“It is also a good fit for the NHS ethos to be supporting a social enterprise in this manner. We hope to continue to partner with Haven Recycle, and look forward to building on the good relationship that’s been established.”

Ewan Fisher added: It has been a very exciting year for Haven Recycle, from starting a brand new operation to finding ourselves in a situation where the volume of business demands the opening of a new facility.

“This can be attributed to a genuine desire by organisations to really embrace the idea of a sustainable supply chain, both in terms of environmental responsibility and corporate social responsibility. I have every confidence that we can encourage even more businesses to work with Haven Recycle in this way.”

Contact: 0141 810 2450
Web: www.havenrecycle.co.uk

Coffee’s community feeling

Hillington Park’s principal landlords and developers are planning a major incursion into the world of social networking – both through new media such as Facebook and Twitter, and also through the provision of ‘Coffee Hub’ meeting places throughout the estate.

The former is an almost inevitable recognition of the marketplace, where informal and digital social interaction is an increasingly preferred means of community ‘bonding‘.

The latter takes as its model the very successful experience of the Hillington Park Innovation Centre’s own chill-out area operated by Bocadillo on the first floor of the building off Ainslie Road.

Here, people from different resident organisations can interact with each other, and with external guests to compare experiences, problems and solutions over a latte and muffin – or even something more substantial!

Results of a recent ‘Sectorlight’ occupier survey at Hillington Park have inspired MEPC to study a range of ideas for encouraging social interaction, including coffee hubs. Other possibilities include urban gardens, beehives, a putting green, public wi-fi coverage throughout the estate and outside seating areas.

“Customer feedback is so important for how MEPC shapes its business. Our occupiers have told us they want more services and amenities which we will find ways to deliver,” says Grant Edmondson, managing director of MEPC Hillington Park.

“We will encourage community feeling in a wide variety of other ways that we will roll out over the coming months. And we would welcome any suggestions and ideas from Hillington people on how we can achieve these objectives.”

Watch this space for more developments. Contact: 0141 883 5760

Business Park & Industrial Estate Glasgow

At Hillington Park, Glasgow we strive to continually improve the environment in which our customers work.

We not only aim to raise the quality of our real estate offer and extend the life and value of our buildings, but also to provide a range of amenities at the business park to make it more than just a workplace. It’s all part of our belief in creating a genuine sense of community, where people can meet and have easy access to quality amenities that enhance their working day.

 

Industrial Estate Glasgow

Rainbow technology is an industrial pot of gold

Legend has it that a pot of gold is to be found at the end of the rainbow. For Rainbow Technology Systems, a company that arrived at Hillington Park last September to take up residence in Kelvin Avenue, the electronic equivalent is already in place.

What Rainbow is developing at Hillington, from scratch, offers electronics manufacturers the world over a chance to reduce their printed circuit costs by a considerable margin. It could prove to be a ’pot of gold’ in the world of smart electronic devices.

Managing director Jonathan Kennett is quite certain that what they have under active development will also revolutionise the production of flat-panel and touch-screen display systems, large and small.
“It’s a ‘disruptive technology’ that we have in our hands,” he says with some pride – and with the experienced knowledge that a serial engineering entrepreneur can bring to such a statement.
“It should allow substantial reductions in labour and production costs, energy use and processing times for the manufacture of printed circuit boards (PCBs).”

His company’s product supplants a typical production line of half a dozen different processes – normally carried out by separate items of machinery over a space of 35 metres length and consuming over 70 kilowatts of power – with a single unit no more than six metres long that could be plugged into a socket in the wall.

This marvel of modern high-precision production machinery has been designed and is being built in-house by chief engineer Robert Gibson, applying the chemical technology developed by John Cunningham, the company’s chief chemist.
The machine uses patented optical techniques to reduce feature sizes on PCBs to less than 10% of the current standard dimensions.

The key to the patented Rainbow process – seven years in development, at a cost of over £2 million – lies in the creation of solvent-free ‘resists’ – the chemical ‘inks’ with which the circuits are printed onto the copper sheeting, which dry instantaneously when exposed to ultra-violet light.
Mr Kennett says: “Although laser-based machines are an improvement on the traditional method of making PCBs, our system can now beat the best lasers by printing circuits down to a width of 5 microns (a micron is one-millionth of a metre).

“This will enable electronic designers to pack more processing power into a much smaller space with ‘high density interconnect’ techniques and – as far as we know – no-one else has been able to image to this size using conventional phototools.”

Mr Kennett and his colleagues have returned from recent trade fairs elated by the reactions to their test results, and are confident there is a world market of perhaps 200 printed circuit board ‘shops’ who would be desperate to be among the first to use the new Rainbow system.

Robert Gibson is in the middle of constructing the first full production Rainbow machine, to be used as an active demonstration unit. Each client will demand a bespoke configuration, but each machine will command a price of up to £750,000.

“We are confident of securing two or three orders in the next few months. And we will also be the sole suppliers of the chemical consumables,” says Jonathan Kennett, anticipating the next question. “We know where the market is, our product ticks lots of boxes, and the results are easy to demonstrate.”

Some of the technology Rainbow is using was developed by his previous company Teknek, based at Inchinnan, now sold on. “We are delighted to have set up anew at Hillington Park,” he added. “There is great connectivity here, both to points west such as the airport and to central Glasgow.

“Our landlords have been very constructive and helpful. And there is plenty of space for expansion. But now we are looking to recruit more top-notch mechanical design engineers.”

Contact: 0141 892 3322
Web: www.rainbow-technology.com

Occupancy rate sustained

For the fifth year in a row, MEPC Hillington Park has maintained its occupancy rate at the estate at more than 90%.

Offices To Let Glasgow

Glasgow Offices To Let

In the space of just a few months, Hillington Park’s majority landlords MEPC have successfully filled a large amount of office space at the estate which had recently become vacant.

Following the departure of financial outsource administrators Ceridian to Braehead in June, MEPC found itself with 22,000 sqft of vacant office space on its hands.

Ceridian had been located at Hillington Park for more than a decade, during which time the company expanded at regular intervals, taking on additional office accommodation within walking distance of its original location at Centura Court.

But Ceridian were keen to consolidate their personnel within a single building, and had been discussing the possibility of a newbuild headquarters within the proposed Nexus development on the M8 frontage of Hillington Park.

That possibility faded away with the economic recession, but the company was able to find itself an alternative accommodation at Braehead, and has now moved out of Hillington.

Their departure, however, was an opportunity for MEPC to demonstrate what managing director Grant Edmondson calls a ’can do’ attitude in its relationships with potential customers.

Now, the former Ceridian space has very quickly been filled following deals with McNicolas Construction, who will take over the whole of 1 Centura Court, while Amici Procurement will move into part of one of the other pavilions after relocating from Irvine.

The deal with McNicholas will significantly alter the company’s profile in Scotland. The Hertfordshire-headquartered utilities, communications, renewables and rail markets service provider has won a major contract in the south of England which will be controlled from its Scottish base, which was moved to Hillington from Bishopbriggs just two years ago.

But McNicholas Construction will shortly be moving again – this time within the Hillington estate, where it currently occupies mainly industrial premises in Earl Haig Road – to accommodate its expanding Scottish workforce.

The company has agreed a four-year deal with MEPC to take over both floors of an entire building at Centura Court, amounting to 10,000 sqft. And McNicholas has already started moving in to its smart and modern new Scottish headquarters, where it expects to double its current workforce of 35 within the next 12 months.

Ken Reavey, the Customer Experience Manager for McNicholas, told the Hillington Herald: “There’s no doubt that the estate’s infrastructure and facilities – and its proximity to Glasgow Airport – makes it an ideal location to ensure quick access to our customer areas. And Centura Court will project the right image for us when we entertain high-powered executives from our clients.”

The property move by McNicholas effectively doubles the rental value of the company’s presence at Hillington. Grant Edmondson added: “It’s another great example of why so many companies located here seem to enjoy growth and success. We were delighted that McNicholas moved here two years ago and even more pleased that they now want to expand and upgrade with us. The key for MEPC is to be able to offer competitive lease packages to attract businesses to HIllington and more importantly to retain them.”

And, as the Hillington Herald went to press, it was confirmed that Amici Procurement has signed a deal with MEPC that will facilitate their relocation from Irvine to 3 Centura Court.

The company provides cutting-edge sourcing solutions to companies across the Biotech industry, and recent innovations at Hillington Park and elsewhere in the central belt are thought to be behind the move to Scotland’s largest business estate.

Amici will occupy a suite of 2,374 sqft (220 sqm) which they have taken on a five-year lease. Part of the lease package included the fitting-out of the space to the company’s specification.

These are two of five office deals recently completed by MEPC at Hillington Park, which are detailed here, and there is said to be plenty of strong interest in the pipeline for other available office properties on the estate.