Packaging

Centralisation of H.O. & Production on North Tyneside

Pictured at Rosewood’s new head office are (left to right), Martin Preston, Group Finance Director, John Lord, Group Sales Director, Paul Evans, Group Operations Director & Stephen Lord, Group Managing Director.

Wednesday 16. July 2008 - Rosewood Packaging’s sales turnover has risen by 500% over the last 5 years. After rapidly outgrowing its Tyneside sites, the company has centralised on Tyneside with 1 head office & distribution centre, 1 timber packaging manufacturing site and 1 cardboard packaging manufacturing site.

Rosewood’s primary requirement has been to acquire larger premises where it could bring together the administration, warehousing and distribution services that were taking place at 5 different sites, and, at the same time, create a new head office. With the assistance of global real estate advisor, DTZ, the company identified the ideal building that met all of its requirements. At the start of 2008, Rosewood acquired Unit 14 at Alder Road on the West Chirton North Industrial Estate, North Shields. It is situated nearby to Rosewood’s established site at Unit 11, on the same estate. Following extensive refurbishment of the building, Rosewood’s management, administration and warehouse staff have now moved into Unit 14.

Rosewood’s timber packaging manufacturing facilities were previously located at 2 sites that were separated by the River Tyne and some 10 miles apart. The decision was made to invest in Unit 11 at Alder Road in order to increase capacity and thereby absorb the Jarrow-based facility. This included the purchase of an additional opticut saw and the conversion of a field area behind the factory into a bespoke timber yard. The relocation of the Jarrow facility to North Shields was complex and we benefited greatly from the DTI’s Manufacturing Advisory Service who assisted the movement and installation of machinery. Unit 11 is now designated as Rosewood’s Tyneside centre for the design and production of bespoke timber packaging products.

The third key area of development has brought Rosewood’s Tyneside corrugated packaging facilities together at Gateshead. This has involved the uplifting and re-commissioning of heavy-duty corrugated production machinery from North Shields and the integration of the small volume, bespoke performance packaging facility into a higher volume conventional sheet plant. Gateshead is now Rosewood’s dedicated Tyneside centre for the design and manufacture of both conventional and heavy-duty corrugated packaging.

Rosewood’s employees showed their dedication and tenacity in the weeks leading up to the head office and production centre moves. As a result, zero hours of production hours were lost, despite the additional pressures caused by the relocation schedule.

Commenting, Rosewood’s Group Managing Director, Stephen Lord said, “The achievement of the 3 key objectives that we set ourselves, will, we anticipate, be the springboard to further growth of the company. We are very pleased to now be centralised on Tyneside with 1 head office & distribution centre, 1 timber packaging manufacturing site and 1 cardboard packaging manufacturing site. We are grateful for the support of our customers, clients, suppliers, industry colleagues and staff throughout what has been a particularly busy time for Rosewood.”