Ashford Borough Council - Case studies
Case Studies for Ashford Borough Council
Brakes
Brakes is the leading supplier of quality food to the catering industry in the UK and France, with a turnover in excess of £1.6 billion. Its strong understanding of the needs for the catering industry, combined with innovation in both products and service, has seen Brakes develop into a leading food service solutions provider.
The company distributes more than 15,000 products, including Brake-branded and other manufacturer’s products, to approximately 150,000 customer outlets in the UK and France. In 2006, Brakes was named ‘Best Delivered Wholesaler’ at Scottish Wholesale Association’s Achiever Awards.
Started nearly 50 years ago in Ashford, Brakes is now the UK’s leading supplier to caterers. The large majority of our 600 plus employees based in our Ashford offices live in the area and have been an intrinsic part of Brakes success and growth" said Sharon Black, Group HR Director of Brakes.
Based at Eureka Park, Brakes is located on the fastest expanding park in Ashford. Just off Junction 9 of the M20, Eureka Park offers a range of office solutions from small office suites to large corporate headquarters.
For more information visit the Brakes website or telephone 01233 206000.
Givaudan
Givaudan is the world leading company in the flavours and fragrance industry with a vision to be the Essential Source of Sensory Innovation for consumer brands.
Headquartered in Vernier, Switzerland, the company operates in over 40 countries worldwide.
Givaudan’s global team of over 100 perfumers specialise in the design of prestige fine fragrances and fragrance for personal care, air care, laundry care and home care consumer products.
They work in a network of Creative Centres - located in Bangalore, New York, Paris, São Paolo, Shanghai, Singapore and Ashford.
For more information visit the Givaudan website or telephone 01233 644444.
Premier Foods
As the UK's leading food producer, Premier Foods manufactures some of the nation's favourite food brands including Hovis, Sharwoods, Mr Kipling and Batchelors soups and noodles. Around 98% of all UK households consume at least one of these products. And it’s top ten brands alone have retail sales of over £1.1 billion.
Premier Foods’ comprehensive range of products generates an annual group turnover of over £2.7 billion employing almost 20,000 people on more than 60 sites throughout the UK.
In July 2004, Premier was successfully floated on the London Stock Exchange, with an initial market capitalisation of £526 million and has completed several successful acquisitions to date.
Premier Foods acquired the Ashford site last year. The factory employs 197 people. As the UK’s leading food producer it actively encourages contact with the local community bringing employment opportunities, both directly and through supporting commerce in the local and regional economies. It recognises that to continue transforming Premier Foods into not only the biggest, but the best UK food company it aims to attract and secure the very best talent locally.
For more information visit the Premier Foods website or telephone 01727 815850.
Eurostar
On January 8, 1996 Eurostar commenced services from Ashford International to Paris and Brussels. Now, more than a decade on, connecting services link Ashford to more than 100 destinations across Europe.
And, from December 2009, domestic services on the High Speed 1 (HS1) rail link, operated by Southeastern, will take passengers from Ashford to London in just 37 minutes, cutting travel time in half.
This is undoubtedly good news for residents, businesses and investors alike. Ashford is better connected than ever to the Continent, London and the rest of the UK. It confirms that Ashford has a bright future.
Eurostar clearly believes in the area and has recently committed to spending a further £750,000 on improving facilities at Ashford International station, taking the total investment to more than £1.5m. New check-in gates have been installed and the footbridge linking the car park to inside the station is to be fully refurbished. Already, Eurostar has invested £250,000 in renewing the CCTV system and has refurbished the Ashford contact centre which employs 300 local people.
Richard Brown, Chief Executive of Eurostar, said: “Together, Ebbsfleet and Ashford will deliver a substantial increase in rail services for the county and strengthen its position as the crossroads to the Continent.”
Ashford International Station is readily accessible by car from the M20 and from most of Kent and East Sussex via five rail lines which converge at Ashford. The station provides travellers with three services a day to Paris (journey time less than two hours), a daily service to Disneyland Resort Paris and seasonal weekly services to the French Alps and Avignon.
Travellers for Brussels are able to change at Lille Europe, where there are also rail connections to the south of France and throughout Europe. Eurostar have reintroducing a direct Brussels service.
Cllr Paul Clokie, Chairman of the Ashford’s Future partnership, said: “We welcome the added investment which shows Eurostar’s commitment to the town. I’m sure many Ashford residents and regular Eurostar passengers will enjoy the improved facilities for many years to come.”
For more information visit www.eurostar.com or telephone 020 7922 4494
Scott Wilson
Scott Wilson Group plc is a multi-disciplinary, international design and engineering consultancy for the built and natural environments. With over 6,300 members of staff, the Group offers integrated professional services in the transportation, buildings & infrastructure, environment and natural resources sectors.
The Group, from its UK headquarters, currently controls a worldwide network of 80 offices, of which 40 are in the UK. The main international centres are located in Australia, Canada, China, Eastern Europe, Hong Kong, India, the Middle East and South East Asia.
Scott Wilson Group is one of several new companies that have moved into International House, Ashford and have taken up the entire 10th floor. Ian Marsden, Technical Director, commented: "Our new offices in Ashford allow us the opportunity to expand and be in a central location in the town centre”.
He continued: "We're very keen to play an active role in this exciting phase of Ashford's development. Our specialist expertise in design and engineering is driven by our highly-skilled staff who live in the area."
With the introduction of high speed trains to Ashford later this year, Scott Wilson's town centre location will allow them to take full advantage of the 37 minute travel time to London with onward connections throughout the UK.
For more information visit the Scott Wilson Group website - www.scottwilson.com or telephone 01233 658200
GSE
GSE Group is unique in offering a comprehensive portfolio of skills and services to the building, civil engineering and construction sectors in the South East of England. GSE employs some 400 people and has a turnover in excess of £50million.
In the competitive world of construction, GSE Design and Build has built a reputation for delivering high quality finished projects, on time and on budget.
Recognised as a forward thinking and progressive company, it provides competitive and cost effective solutions to the most demanding and challenging projects.
GSE Design and Build’s portfolio includes commercial, industrial, schools and housing where work has earned it inclusion on 'Approved Contractor' databases with Kent County Council, local health authorities and housing associations. GSE Design and Build is also a member of Constructionline and NHBC.
Paul Blyth, Managing Director said: “With our Headquarters in Ashford, GSE Design and Build benefit from the opportunities of the significant investment in the town centre. Ashford is one of the fastest growing towns in the South East and we are proud to contribute to the economic growth and development in the surrounding areas.”
As the owners of the land at the Waterbrook Park site of 140 acres, just off junction 10 of the M20, GSE Group is ideally placed in Ashford to provide the land, the design, planning and building opportunities for all new commercial clients.
For more information visit the GSE Group website or telephone 01233 501301
Chapel Down
Chapel Down is the largest producer of English wines in the country. Tenterden Vineyard, just outside Ashford, is the home of the UK’s leading winery and the centre of the fast growing English wines industry.
The multi-award winning Chapel Down is the leading English wine brand and is fast establishing itself as a world class premium wine, gaining national and international recognition. It is stocked in the very best restaurants and bars in New York and Tokyo as well as in the finest establishments in London, including Gordon Ramsay and Gary Rhodes restaurants. It was the first ever English producer to win a gold medal for its sparkling wine at the prestigious International Wine Challenge.
The winery sources its grapes from over 400 acres across the county and the 25 acre vineyard at Tenterden is planted on gentle south-facing slopes. The chalky soils of the Kent Downs are geologically almost identical to those found around Reims and Epernay in the Champagne region of France. The increasingly warm summers and these perfect soils provide ideal growing conditions for premium sparkling wines.
The winery at Chapel Down is not only the largest in the country but also has an award-winning fine food store featuring local produce and a quality bistro attracting some 50,000 visitors every year – a figure that is growing as its reputation spreads. With advances in the vineyard, consistently high investment in the winery and England’s best winemaking team led by Owen Elias, winemaker of the year 2002/3/5/6, the quality of Chapel Down wines has been improving every year. And there are more exciting new developments to come.
Frazer Thompson, Managing Director, believes there is a winning formula for the vineyard’s success: “At Chapel Down we are fortunate to have a dedicated and creative winemaking team and modern winemaking equipment. The winemaker’s expertise ensures that the style and quality remain consistent over the years. Chapel Down is committed to getting even better every year, with the very latest techniques and more of the highest quality growers. We are committed to making Kent the centre of this booming industry that will enhance the environment and provide not only skilled employment but also be a source of local, regional and national pride, attracting thousands of new converts”
For more information visit the Chapel Down Wines website or telephone 01580 763033.
Headley Brothers
Headley Brothers Ltd is the leading magazine and journal printer in Kent, specialising in providing innovative, competitively priced colour print solutions to a national and international client base. Established in 1881, it is still owned and run by descendants of the same family.
Now a major business in Ashford with a staff of 265, it offers a complete print service - from pre-press, sheetfed, web and digital printing to binding, mailing, subscription management and website design - combining the very latest technology with the traditional values of quality workmanship and personal service on which the family business was founded.
Roger Pitt, Managing Director, explains why the Headley Brothers is so committed to Ashford; “To maintain success requires more than just the latest printing machines – Headley Brothers has been reliant on good quality people from the Ashford area for the past 126 years. We remain fully committed to Ashford and all that is has to offer business.”
To find out more about Headley Brothers’ extensive range of printing and other services telephone 01233 623131 or visit www.headley.co.uk.
Finn-Kelcey & Chapman
Finn-Kelcey & Chapman has been a leading Kent and Ashford firm for some 80 years and in May 2008 merged with Wilkins Kennedy a top 30 firm which takes its roots back 125 years. The merged Ashford firm, W K Finn-Kelcey,continues to operate from its Station Road offices with 70 directors, partners and staff.
Throughout its history, the firm has remained loyal to the Kent region. Hugh Summerfield, director said: “Our local knowledge means that we understand the heritage, challenges, opportunities and ambitions of both Ashford and the broader Kent market. Many of our clients value our ability to provide insight into commercial opportunities and advice on doing business locally.” He added:
“We are firmly committed to serving both our longstanding and newer clients and intend to remain a leading firm in Kent. We are confident the transformation of the town centre will strengthen Ashford’s growing reputation as a popular business location.”
Wilkins Kennedy work with new and established businesses from around the UK and overseas. In addition providing day to day accounting and tax services, WK Finn-Kelcey offers a wide range of specialist services. These include corporate finance and recovery, charities, expert witness, human resource and outsourcing services.
For more information visit the WK Finn-Kelcey website (http://www.wilkinskennedy.com/) or telephone 01233 629255.
Directline Structures
Family-owned construction company, Directline Structures Ltd, expanded into new headquarters in Ashford, creating an additional 11 jobs in the county over the next three years.
Formed in 1988, Directline Structures chose to move into the Ashford area from Goudhurst.
The company specialises in the construction and design of steel and timber-framed buildings, primarily for education, commercial and industrial uses and care homes, and currently employs 18 people. Recent work in Ashford includes a new dining hall and “Learn Direct” centre for The Towers School, and the company is currently constructing a new workshop and MOT facility for D & D Autos in Orbital Park.
The company was awarded a £100,000 grant as part of the Selective Finance for Investment in England (SFIE) grant scheme by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to help reach its growing national market.
Managing Director Duncan Murray, and Design Manager Jon Morton, are designing Directline’s new 15,000 sq ft building at Orbital Park, Ashford with input from Mark Hall of Cyma Architects, another local business. Designed with sustainability in mind, the building will feature geo-thermal ground or air-source heating, rainwater harvesting, an experimental green roof area to support bio-diversity, natural ventilation and possibly a wind turbine.
Lyn Hodges, Marketing Consultant at Directline Structures said: “The company celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008, and it seemed like a good time to consolidate the business and construct our own new building to raise our profile nationally and showcase our abilities to potential customers.
"Our new headquarters are expected to contribute significantly to our future growth and reinforce ‘best practice’ in terms of design and building for a sustainable future. It will also create a superior working environment helping us to attract and retain professional staff.”
Duncan Murray added: “Moving to Ashford was the right thing to do for our business. We feel we now have the right premises in the right location, for our business.
"Our position in Ashford puts us at the heart of local regeneration projects and Orbital Park is well served by motorways, allowing easy access to clients regionally and nationally.
"We will benefit directly from the rapid connection to the M20 at J10 and the new fast rail links to London and the continent. Plus, we are confident our position in Orbital Park will mean the company will be able to attract more skilled employees to support the growth of our business.”
He added: "Obviously we designed and built our own premises, and the new building is just what we needed to showcase the quality of our work.
"The grant made the difference between our budget for moving and the actual cost. It was the difference which made us decide to commit to the project. It also encouraged us to purchase the equipment we required and to make the new premises exactly what we wanted."
For more information visit the Directline Structures website www.directlinestructures.co.uk or telephone 01233 504770
Page Suite
PageSuite is an award-winning digital publishing software house that specialises in the newspaper and magazines industry. It is highly regarded as one of the UK’s leading publishing software houses and is renowned for its professional page-turning software.
Nathan Parrett, Managing Director at PageSuite, explains: “PageSuite has developed and provides a unique range of publishing software. Customers include seven out of the top ten newspaper groups in the UK plus publishers worldwide producing more than 4,000 titles.”
PageSuite has been recognised as a market leader when they received the highly-acclaimed ‘Innovation in Business’ award at the Kent Business Awards 2008/9.
Based in Aldington, just outside Ashford, PageSuite believes their location is perfect for taking advantage of the latest technology. Indeed, Ashford is already working with developers and telecommunications operators to establish a fibre-optic network in the town, where wider Broadband access will benefit and support both business and residents alike.
Ashford attracts workers from more than 40km (25 miles) away - more than twice the national average - and PageSuite’s location provides further evidence of the area’s accessibility to employees from near and far. They currently employ 17 members staff who travel from as far away as Folkestone, Canterbury and Redhill.
Nathan Parrett continued: “One of the most attractive aspects of living and working near Ashford is the quality of life it has to offer. We attract staff who like to work in some of the most beautiful countryside yet still have the benefits of being close to a fast-developing town centre.”
For more information visit the PageSuite website or telephone 01233 721030
Stewart Fraser Ltd
Established over 60 years ago, Stewart Fraser Ltd has seen turnover rise by 71.5% over three years to £7.4m. It employs 86 and is based at the Henwood Industrial Estate, Ashford.
Stewart Fraser offers specialist door solutions; including the Pyrostyle fire rated doors and screens, automatic and manual glass revolving doors and bespoke entrances, for commercial developments such as offices, hotels and luxury residential apartments.
The company’s portfolio also includes aluminium shop fronts and the trade metal division provides roll forming sections for customers ranging from the marine industry to refrigeration market. Key projects include St Paul's Cathedral, Royal Albert Hall and The Churchill Hotel.
Stewart Fraser's specialist expertise and focus on service delivery have been significant in achieving its growth. Andrew Fraser, Chairman, commented:
"Our facilities and resources have always been based in Ashford. This heritage of local skilled workers has been a key factor in our success, allowing us to offer a high quality, bespoke service. We combine traditional handcrafting skills with advanced machining technology to meet the most exacting building design and architectural specifications."
Whether cost effective aluminium shop fronts, ornate and intricate metalwork or large scale entrances (such as the platform edge screen and doors on London’s Jubilee Line) Stewart Fraser delivers exceptional complete solutions from estimation to installation.
For more information visit the Stewart Fraser Limited website (www.stewartfraser.com) or telephone 01233 625911.
