An expanding electrical specialist says moving to new purpose-built offices at Skylon Park has helped future-proof its business.
Move took just 10 months to complete
Purpose-built 400sq m offices
New staff employed after move
An expanding electrical specialist says moving to new purpose-built offices at Skylon Park has helped future-proof its business.
Electrical engineer Melcon says the move – which took just ten months from first inquiry to moving in – has already allowed it to take on a new member of staff with further expansion planned for the coming months.
Melcon Managing Director Chris Williams said the company, which employs 24 people and boasts Heineken and Kingspan amongst its clients, decided to move to Hereford Enterprise Zone last year after outgrowing its former base in the city.
It now occupies more than 400 square metres of state-of-the art offices on Skylon Park, branded in the company’s distinctive red and grey colour scheme.
The continued success of Melcon meant it had outgrown its former base in Hereford and needed to move to meet its ambitions for further growth, Chris Williams said. The move to Skylon Park – and the chance to be part of its innovative, high-tech and flourishing business community – was an obvious one.
“The land was good value for money, the infrastructure on the park is second-to-none and its location could not be better for us and our customer base across the Marches and Gloucestershire.
“Add to that the advantages of being on the enterprise zone and the fact that everything possible is done here to aid growth, and there really was no other choice.”
“The land was good value for money, the infrastructure on the park is second-to-none and its location could not be better for us”
Melcon’s move – from first inquiring about the land on Vincent Carey Road to moving in to its plush new offices – took just ten months, and could not have been easier, Chris said.
“The whole process could not have been made easier. The team at the zone responded positively to everything we wanted to do, made sure no barriers were put in our way and worked alongside us throughout the entire project.
“I thought I had dropped a bit of a bombshell when I said I wanted the building to be bright red and grey, but the zone were really receptive from day one. I cannot speak highly enough of the way they have helped make everything we wanted to do come to fruition.
“And, of course, the fact that it all happened so quickly and efficiently means we have saved a considerable amount of money compared to carrying out a similar project anywhere else.”
“We now have custom-built offices with all the space, equipment and facilities we need”
The great value that land at Skylon Park represented meant Melcon had been able to buy two plots – meaning it now had room to grow as it built on its success.
“By moving to Skylon Park we really have future-proofed the business,” said Chris. “We now have custom-built offices with all the space, equipment and facilities we need, as well as the land to expand as we continue to grow.
“From the staff’s point of view we have a better working environment, which has improved our internal communications dramatically, and we have the reassurance of knowing that we can develop the second site to the same high standard as we continue to expand.
“We have already been able to take on a new member of staff as a result of the move and would expect to be recruiting still further in the coming months.”
Skylon Park’s prime location at the heart of the Midlands, the economic benefits of being an enterprise zone, and its reputation as a centre of high-tech innovation have all helped raise Melcon’s profile as a result of the move.
“The move has definitely increased our reputation and boosted our image. Our profile has benefitted enormously from being based on such an innovative, modern park, surrounded by businesses which are at the cutting edge of what they do.
“Our branding and visibility has improved and our customers are thoroughly impressed when they visit. That is good for us, good for them and good for business.”
“Our profile has benefitted enormously from being based on such an innovative, modern park.”
Melcon has already appointed a new apprentice as a result of the move to Skylon Park and Chris Williams says it will be recruiting further over the coming months.
The company’s raised profile has seen it receive inquiries from a wider customer base and the move will allow it to broaden its consultancy work, developing new business opportunities.
“At the moment consultancy makes up about 30 per cent of our business. The move to our new offices, and the increased profile we have as a result, will help us expand this considerably. As a consultancy we are involved in a project right the way from the first ideas to the build which helps us deliver exactly what the client wants, when they want it.
“We have also been able to save a considerable amount of money by moving to an energy-efficient, purpose-built office, all of which can be invested back in to the business to help us continue to grow.
“The move has also been good news for the local economy, because we have used local contractors and tradespeople throughout.”
