Tuffin Ferraby Taylor (TFT) has provided Technical Due Diligence (TDD) as part of the sale of premium gardening, agricultural and giftware products Burgon & Ball to Canadian company Venanpri Tools.
Burgon & Ball has been making hand sheep shears on the same site in Sheffield since 1730 and have produced around 25 million pairs in that time. We are delighted to have been involved in assessing this historic, landmark building. Our TDD rigour, experience of working with heritage building fabrics and commercial outlook have been invaluable for informing the transaction process.
Paul Spaven, Partner at TFT said:
I have carried out Technical Due Diligence of a huge range of commercial buildings, across the UK and Europe, but the survey of the Burgon + Ball factory was rather special. During my two days of inspections I witnessed handcrafted sheep shears being expertly produced in the same way and to the same design as they were back in 1720, and at the same site in Sheffield. And they still produce around 70,000 pairs per year. There was a passion exhibited by all the craftsmen and women – a deep understanding and Yorkshire pride in what they make.
It also gave me the opportunity to explore the physical heritage of the factory. The former water and steam powered facilities, the patina of over almost 300 years of working the steel and evidence of the historic export led growth of the business. The Victorian office building has the carved name of “La Plata Works” – an interesting marketing and branding exercise to suit their main export market in the 1880’s; Argentina and Uruguay, both on the River Plate; La Plata.
TFT was instructed by Environmental Consultants Delta Simons.
