Keighley's manufacturing sector seeing 'green shoots of recovery' claim

A raft of new business and industrial units coming on stream are being occupied almost as soon as they are ready.

Most of them are going to existing businesses seeking to expand, freeing up much-needed space for smaller companies who are also experiencing growth.

One warehouse unit was snapped up within 24 hours of going on the market, while the massive premises vacated only weeks ago by England Worthside has attracted huge interest.

The positive outlook comes despite the devastating effects of Covid-19, which locally has seen the closure of beer pumps company England Worthside, more than 100 redundancies at clamps manufacturer Teconnex, and ongoing job losses in the retail sector.

The growth amongst world-leading companies will help Keighley retain its status as one of the UK's biggest manufacturing employers.

The "green shoots" claim was put forward this week by Paul Moore, managing director of flourishing Powerrun Pipe-Mech Ltd and founder of Keighley-Made, the networking body for Keighley manufacturers.

He said: "As a business community we certainly haven’t been immune to the impact of the coronavirus situation. However I`m certain some positives will come out of this, and it's not all doom and gloom.

"The majority of newly-constructed industrial and commercial units in the area are being snapped up very quickly, and all by local companies which is an encouraging sign."

Mr Moore said he would soon unveil ambitious expansion plans, and another Keighley-Made company was due to announce similar growth.

Ian Hayfield, director of property consultants Hayfield Robinson, this week backed up Mr Moore's claim by outlining six of the company's projects coming to fruition in central Keighley.

These are:

* Foundry Park, between Dalton Lane and Keighley Fire Station, where negotiations are progressing well for one company to take on £3.5 million twin units totalling 39,000 sq ft.

* Oakwood Business Park, next to Keighley Cricket Club, where all eight units were let to growing small companies in advance of this month's completion of construction.

* An 11,000 square-foot modern/warehouse space in Royd Ings Avenue which was snapped up within 24 hours of going on the market.

* A 20,000 sq ft 'high bay' industrial complex on the fringe of the town centre that within days of becoming available was signed up by an established local manufacturer that wanted to expand.

* A newly-vacant 10,000 sqft warehouse/manufacturing unit off Dalton Lane that attracted similarly swift interest, with an expanding local business moving in next month.

* The 40,000 square-foot England Worthside complex off South Street which attracted interest within days from a large number of property developers, owner-occupiers and investors.

Mr Hayfield said many of the companies employed 50 people or more, and estimated the six deals combined would either create or protect up to 150 jobs.

He said: "This is not warehousing with just three staff and 20,000 sq ft, these are established manufacturers, high-end businesses that need bigger premises.

"These are challenging times, but I firmly believe Keighley and Airedale's industrial and commercial businesses can get through this uncertain climate, emerging stronger."

Mr Hayfield said that in recent months Keighley's manufacturing sector had received strong support from Keighley MP Robbie Moore, Bradford Council regeneration planning chief Cllr Alex Ross-Shaw, and district councillor John Pennington who is spearheading efforts to reverse Keighley's reputation as a "dying town".

But Mr Hayfield stressed that more support was needed to free up land in Keighley for big new industrial units to meet huge demand from local companies to expand in their hometown.

Cllr Ross-Shaw has especially praised Foundry Park, where Turner Developments recently completed the first £3.5 million phase of developing a large site formally occupied by West Yorkshire Spinners and Keighley College's Harold Town annex.

Cllr Ross-Shaw this week said: “We are delighted the property is now complete and look forward to welcoming a new occupier to Keighley’s Dalton Lane Business Development Zone.”

"Keighley has long been a manufacturing powerhouse in the Bradford district and this is a further example of the council and private sector working together to deliver regeneration of brownfield sites in the Aire Valley."

Mr Moore, who during Parliament's summer recess has visited many Keighley companies, said a flourishing manufacturing sector benefited everyone because it insured more well-paid, highly-skilled jobs.

He said: "Whilst there are challenges for businesses due to Covid, especially in the retail sector, it would appear that demand for engineering and manufacturing in Keighley is high.

“Businesses in our area are working really hard to ensure they can emerge from this challenging period as strong as possible. I’ve been astonished with how busy they are.

"As a government we have provided an unprecedented level of support for businesses to help them throughout the crisis, and it was great to hear how that support has been received."

Cllr Pennington said that historically Keighley was a town of innovation hosting all industries, and today engineering still thrived, in premises ranging from old and leaky to ultra-modern.

He added: "There are many established companies quietly getting on with the job, but many more small and medium-sized enterprises are failing to come of age through lack of support, additional legislation and taxation.

"There is a resurgence of developer activity in Keighley because low prices and good transport connectivity attract them."