Sortex - Industrial Other - Greater London, Olympic Business Relocations Begin

Date: 27 Jul 2006

In the week that the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) launches its Olympic Park delivery programme, the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, will today (27th July) formally mark one of the first business relocations to make way for the Olympics.

Sortex, a leading manufacturer of sorting machinery for the food processing industry, will become one of the first businesses to relocate as part of plans to deliver the London 2012 Olympic Games. As part of a deal facilitated by the London Development Agency (LDA), the firm, which has been based at Pudding Mill Lane, E15 since 1985, will soon be moving away from the Olympic zone to a new, purpose-built headquarters in Newham's Beckton Basin.

The move will be marked by an official 'ground-breaking' ceremony at the new site on Thursday, 27th July. The ceremony will be attended by the Mayor of Newham, Sir Robin Wales, along with representatives from Sortex, Buhler (the parent company) and the LDA. Sortex's 200-strong workforce will subsequently visit the site to see the works at first hand.

In addition to successfully relocating one of the area's largest businesses from a strategically important Olympic site, this deal also satisfies other regeneration criteria by ensuring that such a large workforce is retained within Newham. The new 16-acre site stands of the site of a former gasworks, which has been remediated and restored to provide a modern business environment.

The relocation deal and resulting move is being co-ordinated by project managers and construction consultants Buro Four and DBK Back respectively. Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd has been appointed as the main contractor with construction scheduled to be complete by summer 2007.

Other parties involved in the relocation and the construction of the new site include RPS Burks Green (architects and engineers), Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (planning consultants) and QuinnRoss (mechanical and electrical engineers). With a construction value of approximately £11 million, the new Sortex site will provide state-of-the-art facilities and a modern headquarters environment.

Patrick Watson of Buro Four comments: "This has been a complex deal which required the close co-operation of all the professional team to guide Sortex through the complexities of the CPO process. The commencement of works is a fitting testament to the team's success and open collaboration. We are all proud to be supporting such a successful business."

Neil Grocock, of DBK Back, comments: "This relocation project is testament to the value of teamwork. By working closely with the LDA from the outset Sortex, as one of the area's largest employers, has sent out a clear message of co-operation to the marketplace."

Iain Rhind, of planning consultants Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners, comments "The relocation of the Sortex factory to its new site at Gallion's Reach has been an exemplar of how the town planning process should work. The Sortex team has liaised closely with the Council, the LDA and more recently Thames Gateway Development Corporation to secure a high quality development which will complement the regeneration of the wider area."

Sundeep Singh Bhavra of RPS Burks Green Architects "Having been involved in this landmark project from a very early stage, it is satisfying to see the project taking shape on site. The commitment of the whole team to make this project a success has been unwavering. Relocating an existing operational facility is a complex task and never easy and Burks Green, through its multidisciplinary design, is delighted to be playing a major role in such a key project."

The Beckton Basin to which Sortex will relocate is owned by the LDA. The LDA is currently is further discussions with a number of other businesses affected by the Olympic bid in order to make way for the 500-acre Olympic Park, which will include an 80,000 seat stadium.

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