Award winning manufacturer, Wade Ceramics Ltd, has marked its
200th anniversary by moving into a new purpose built factory within
Etruria Valley, part of the 300 acre Business Park being developed
by Stoke-on-Trent Regeneration, a joint venture between St. Modwen
and Stoke City Council.
Wade Ceramics, who won the prestigious Business Innovation Award
at the recent Sentinel Business Awards 2010 was established in
Burslem in 1810 and in its first move since has taken a purpose
built 39,000 sq ft new factory, designed by St. Modwen. The
historic move away from their Hilltop works site in Burslem has
enabled Wade to invest in industry leading innovative manufacturing
processes at its new factory.
£7.5m has been invested, which has seen the company invest
in people and technology as part of a move towards improving
efficiency in readiness for the future. Having updated the
manufacturing process to incorporate the latest robotic
manufacturing systems, the company has increased its workforce and
equipped its staff with extensive I.T. training. In addition, by
utilising high technology processes Wade has reduced its space
requirement as the new systems require less floor space than
traditional ceramic manufacturing.
It is this commitment to innovation that led to the company
winning the Business Innovation Award.
Mike Herbert, regional director for St. Modwen commented: "This
is great news for Stoke-on-Trent and demonstrates the excellence
that exits within the traditional pottery industry and that Stoke
is still a world leader in the pottery sector. Wade's relocation
also represents another major step in St Modwen's regeneration of
Stoke. Not only are we helping a long-established company, which
plays a key part in Stoke's heritage, to upgrade and be equipped to
compete in today's sophisticated global market but we will also be
regenerating Wade's former factory site and in doing so, assist in
the regeneration of Burslem.
"We are currently in discussions with the City Council over the
future of Wades existing site in Burslem, which is earmarked for
residential development and expect to be able to move the site
forward soon after Wades complete total removal from the Hilltop
Works later this year."
Paul Farmer, managing director of Wade Ceramics Ltd added: "The
move to the new premises is excellent news for the industry, the
City and most of all Wade Ceramics.
"The new factory is the most advanced ceramics manufacturing
facility in the world and, together with a new five year contract
to supply decanters to Chivas Brothers, it underpins the future of
the 150 Wade employees."
Spanning 125 acres, Etruria Valley Business Park is part of the
former Shelton Steel Works which has been extensively reclaimed by
St. Modwen and is an expansion of St. Modwen's highly successful
Festival Park scheme. Phase One, a 35 acre site has already been
completed with a total of 167,000 sq ft of office space, alongside
a further 148,000 sq ft of industrial / trade park space. The
latest phase, Etruria Valley Business Park includes the Head Office
for the Hanley Economic Building Society and a landmark building
for Vodafone UK. Further development opportunities are
available at the Business Park.