The CWC Group – one of the leading property development companies in the UK – has completed the sale of a key building at its East Midlands Distribution Centre (EMDC) development in Castle Donington.
Birlea, a supplier of contemporary furniture across the UK, has purchased a 50,000 sq ft distribution centre on the park which is home to more than 1,500 staff.
The sale – in the region of £4 million – is the first completed by the CWC Group since David Clowes recent appointment as Chairman, demonstrating his strategy of moving the business forward by a flexible approach to leasing and selling properties.
He said: “We have a vision of developing EDMC into being one of the leading distribution locations in the UK, and this deal is further proof of its success. We bought the site in 2009 during the financial downturn because we viewed it in the long term as a prime location for distribution.
“Birlea has thrived since it moved to EMDC and we have worked very closely with the business to ensure that we can continue to help it grow and prosper. That is the approach we have always adopted and will continue to embrace.”
Birlea, which was founded 18 years ago and employs 45 people, now occupies two buildings at EMDC, and aims to become the largest importer of furniture into the UK.
The sale has allowed Birlea to extend the range it offers to stockists across the country.
Managing director Jake Magill said: “We moved to EMDC four years ago and it has been great for our business. We are growing in terms of the range of products we stock and we needed to expand.
“We are probably the third or fourth largest importer of furniture into the UK and we want to be the largest. This site has been excellent for us. Not only are they very good quality buildings we are in a superb location close to the M1, M6, M42 and A50 and that is vital when we are distributing right across the UK.
“Buying this unit allows us to keep growing and also gives us long term certainty and security.”
EDMC has attracted national names taking advantage of such a prime location just off junction 24 of the M1. Marks and Spencer employs around 1,000 staff at its 1 million sq ft National Distribution Centre, and commercial refrigeration and catering equipment company Interlevin and roofing supplied firm Klober are also based on site.
The deal means EDMC can still offer around 1 million sq feet of new build distribution space in a range of buildings from 30,000 sq ft to 550,000 sq ft.
CWC Group is based in Brailsford, near Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
