RDA attracts US company to Rochdale’s Kingsway Business Park

Los Angeles based company CR Laurence is looking forward to setting up a new European headquarters on Rochdale's Kingsway Business Park.

Construction is underway on the new 71,000 sq ft premises that will allow the company that specialises in glazing and stone products to expand further across Europe.

CR Laurence acquired Rochdale based Ebor, a successful business that had grown in the borough for 30 years. Former Ebor partner Simon Boocock is now Managing Director of CR Laurence's Europe operation which also includes a major base in Stuttgart, Germany.

He says that a meeting with Rochdale Development Agency gave him the confidence to pursue a site on the impressive park, next to junction 21 of the M62.

"We had early discussions with Rochdale Development Agency who really sold the benefits of the business park to us and put us directly in touch with the Kingsway team. We brought over colleagues from the USA to view the site and we were all so impressed that the deal was done very quickly. Now we are looking forward with optimism to our relocation and plans for growth."

The new premises will have a bespoke design and will feature a special trade counter and showroom for clients.

Around a dozen new jobs will be created in the first year, ranging from warehousing to technical sales with the capacity to take on many more people as the business expands.

The former Ebor premises at Gorrells Way in Rochdale, which currently employs 55 people, will also be retained with the majority of staff relocating to Kingsway.

Mr Boocock added: "The support we have received along the way has been second to none and we are excited to be part of such a prestigious development.

The location was crucial; it has excellent motorway access and is also close to our existing UK offices, which is great for our employees and visiting customers."

The move seals Kingsway Business Park's international appeal with Japanese based Takeuchi already operating there along with Vindon Scientific which recently announced plans for further expansion across Europe.

Keiron O'Neill, Investment and Marketing Director at Rochdale Development Agency said: "We are continuously meeting with new and existing businesses to discuss their future plans and to see if we can support them in any way. Kingsway offers real quality in an unrivalled location and we are very proud to be welcoming C.R Laurence to the Park."

Offering more than 50,000 different products, CR Laurence is the leading supplier to the glazing, railing, architectural, construction, industrial, and automotive industries, working from 25 global locations.

The Rochdale operation holds the majority of the product range as well as manufacturing some of the bespoke sized items. The stone division supplies Caesarstone, a hard-wearing Quartz stone available in an attractive range of colours, which is used widely in kitchens and bathrooms.