Member Article

New Leeds jobs as packaging firm Samuel Grant Group expands after £150k grant

Packaging firm Samuel Grant Group Ltd has announced ambitious expansion plans, which will see the Leeds company relocate in 2015 to a brand new 50,000 sq ft warehouse and operations centre.

The firm has received £150k grant support from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Business Growth Programme, which offers grants of £10k to £500k to help companies expand and create new jobs.

Relocating from its existing site in Beeston, where it has been based for 65 years, to Thornes Farm, the existing workforce will transfer to the new location and a further 15 jobs will be created.

The facility will create a 50% expansion of the company’s warehousing capacity, resulting in increased efficiency, as well as generating new jobs and developing the skill set of the current staff.

The company has gone from strength to strength through the recession, and has grown exponentially, targeting other industries such as the food and pharmaceutical industry.

Andrew Grant, managing director of Samuel Grant Group said: “This has been an amazing team effort – we have to thank Leeds City Council and the LEP for their support.

“We also have to thank RBS for helping to finance the build, Shulmans’ legal team for their advice throughout, and Knight Frank who were instrumental in securing the land for us.”

The 6.75 acre site at Thornes Farm is owned by Leeds City Council and has been sold to developer CPD Ltd, which has reached agreement to build three units for sale to end users.

Cllr Richard Lewis, Leeds City Council’s executive member for transport and the economy said: “We have seen a real shift in momentum in recent months, with development activity underway across the enterprise zone.

“The news that the Samuel Grant Group is relocating to Thornes Farm is another important step towards realising the potential of the zone to boost jobs and grow the economy.”

Roger Marsh, chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said: “It is fantastic to see this LEP investment enable a growing SME to relocate and expand into a prime business location.

“The LEP’s grant funding programme is now available to large businesses as well as SMEs locating in the Enterprise Zone and I hope this will act as a catalyst for further business investment in the months ahead.”

John Foster, partner at Shulmans LLP, said: “Shulmans advised Samuel Grant on the purchase of the land and on the developer’s engagement.

“Samuel Grant is a long-standing client of ours and this move to a new factory at Thornes Farm, an impressive new venture within the Enterprise Zone, marks the start of a new era for this family business.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .