Industrial extraction specialist, Filtermist International, officially marked the opening of its brand new global headquarters in Telford last week with a ceremony attended by more than 110 guests from around the world.
The new £3m, 2770m² facility located on the T54 business park, was officially opened by Joakim Westh, Board Member of Filtermist’s parent company Absolent Group AB. Mr Westh was joined by the Group’s CEO Tony Landh, as well as a number of local dignitaries to mark this auspicious occasion in the company’s 46 year history.
Filtermist welcomed representatives from Telford and Wrekin Borough Council including Council Leader, Kuldip Sahota, the Mayor of Telford Councillor Leon Murray, as well as the CEO of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce Richard Sheehan.
James Selka, CEO of the Manufacturing Technologies Association (MTA), entertained guests with a rousing speech about the important contribution UK manufacturers like Filtermist make to the national economy, saying “I’m delighted to be here to witness the next step on Filtermist’s journey. It’s an exciting time to be in advanced manufacturing in the UK, with opportunities for growth across a wide range of sectors.
“New technologies offer the potential to change the way we make things. To take advantage of those opportunities investment in our technology and manufacturing infrastructure is essential - it is great to see Filtermist doing just that here.”
The guest list also contained representatives from 31 of Filtermist’s global distributors, as well as UK based customers including leading automotive and aerospace manufacturers located near to Filtermist’s new facility.
James Stansfield, Filtermist’s Managing Director, comments, “We have been working towards this important milestone for a long time now and the official opening ceremony marked the beginning of a new chapter for Filtermist.
“The company started out in Bridgnorth in 1969 and we now sell our oil mist collectors into more than 60 countries worldwide. Our new premises befits our status as an industry leader and will allow us to continue growing our market share both in the UK and overseas.”
Following a long period of sustained growth in both the UK and overseas, Filtermist outgrew its previous premises in Bridgnorth which consisted of four separate buildings. The new facility is designed to ensure the production flow is optimised, and to present Filtermist as a professional, modern, advanced manufacturer.
One of the key design criteria for the architect was to ensure that the factory, constructed by Shrewsbury based Morris Property, was light and airy. James continues, “We are extremely pleased with our new building. Not only does it provide us with enough space to be able to increase capacity to meet our ambitious targets if required, but it’s also a really nice space to work in.
“We are delighted that so many people were able to join us to celebrate our move to Telford and we are all very excited about the future for Filtermist.”
Filtermist worked closely with Telford and Wrekin Borough Council and landowner, the HCA, before deciding to purchase the T54 plot due to a number of factors including its central location and close proximity to transport links.
Image caption (l-r):
James Selka, Val Williams, Mayor of Telford Councillor Leon Murray, Joakim Westh, Cllr Kuldip Sahota, James Stansfield and Tony Landh on a tour of Filtermist's new oil mist collector factory