An engineering firm plans to take on more staff after becoming the first business to move into a new £5.5 million industrial park.
Sella Controls has taken space on the Apollo Court Business Park in Coalville, north west Leicestershire.
The £10.5 million turnover business builds safety systems for a range of industries, including rail, oil and gas, nuclear, power and steel.
Its products and services include control systems for high pressure pipes and machinery, fire and gas detection systems, and technology that manages the start-up, running and shutdown of furnaces.
Clients include Network Rail, Transport for London and Bombardier, and Sella already has offices in Ashby and Stockport.
Apollo Court Business Park was built by Leicestershire County Council to provide new space for start-ups and businesses such as Sella looking to expand.
The council invested in the development as part of its corporate asset investment fund, which it has created to boost the local economy and generate income for frontline services.
The fund is worth around £145 million, and also includes a 100,000 sq ft office block being built on the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park, and the Airfield Business Park in Market Harborough, which has been expanded to provide room for a further 200 workers.
Most Read
Ian Wright, executive chairman of Sella Controls, said that the unit at Apollo Court was in an ‘ideal location’.
He said: “We needed to explore looking for industrial space as our equipment such as PPE – personal protective equipment – and materials was taking up space in our Ashby offices.
“The unit in Coalville was ideal as it is close to our offices, based in the East Midlands and has accessible links to London. It is a blank canvas, fit for us to use however we want.
“It was important for our development to get this unit. Our business is growing, and this expansion means we have two new vacancies available.”
One of the firm’s designs is a system that ensures automatic doors on trains open at the right time and place when stopping at a station.
Mr Wright said: “There are currently new trains being built that will be coming into service.
“However, trains are getting longer and longer, but platform lengths stay the same.
Don’t miss
“We have developed a beacon that goes onto the rail track so when a train passes over it, it gives off a signal which states which doors open upon arrival and more importantly, which ones stay closed.
“We’re the only company in the country that does this.
“The company has been going for 46 years and my business partners and I have spent 13 years developing the rail side.
“I’m proud we have built a workforce of 110 people and have sustained relationships with big companies. We’ll now be looking to expand our systems in Europe.”
Apollo Court has provided a range of high-spec industrial units ranging from 1,000 to 9,000 sq ft.
Councillor Byron Rhodes, deputy leader at Leicestershire County Council, said: “I’m delighted to see the first business move into Apollo Court.
“Supporting businesses is important; it helps boost our local economy and creates jobs.
“Sella Controls staying within Leicestershire proves how attractive the county is as a place to not only work, but live, invest and socialise.
“We have been very pleased with the level of occupier interest in the units and hope to make some more announcements soon.”
The development was part-funded by a £2.4 million grant from the Local Growth Fund, a pot of government funding awarded to the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership Limited for projects that benefit the local area and economy.
Kevin Harris, chair of the LLEP, said: “Our Local Growth Fund was set up to benefit the wider economy of Leicester and Leicestershire.
“Sella Controls’ move to the Apollo Court Business Park in Coalville is the culmination of a project that will see jobs created and revenue generated in the local area.
“I’m proud that the LLEP was able to support this project, and deliver a top-class site for businesses to move to and thrive now and in the future.”