A growing Chesterfield e-commerce firm is more than doubling its warehouse operation to 102,000 sq ft in an expansion move to a prime industrial site at Markham Vale.
Xbite, which ships products around the globe, has taken a multi year lease on a warehouse at Markham Vale J29a M1, as part of ambitious expansion plans for the growing company set up in a back bedroom 16 years ago.
The firm, which has a £42m turnover, will move immediately to the 102,000 sq ft warehouse reconfiguring its current 45,000 sq ft base at Barlborough, just 10 minutes away, into an office for its 130 employees.
Xbite, which has taken on 24 staff in the last three months, and expects to recruit another 50 staff by Christmas and expand its executive team, operates brands including 365 Games, Roov.co.uk, Maison & White, Pukkr and Shop4.
Nick Whitehead, managing director at Xbite, said: “We have outgrown our much loved 45,000 sq ft unit at Barlborough and needed a warehouse that had the space and setup required to deliver our current and future objectives.
“Markham Vale will enable us to deliver a better work environment for all our warehouse operatives, not only will we have the space needed to deliver better performance, there is enough space to ensure that social distancing is easier for everyone to adhere to, which we expect to be around for a while yet.
“The increase in online shopping plus our diversification from computer games and DVDs into home and gardenware has seen unprecedented growth for us. Our homeware website Roov.co.uk is where our future growth will come from, enabling this expansion of premises and creating jobs.”
Rebecca Schofield, head of the Yorkshire industrial team at Knight Frank in Sheffield and sole agent on Markham Vale, said: “Knight Frank is delighted to have played a part in the next stage of Xbite’s ambitious expansion plans.
“This warehouse is ideal for a business that needs to hold and move products quickly across the country as its location at Junction 29a of the M1 allows easily access to South Yorkshire, the East Midlands with direct connectivity to the M1, and subsequently the M18, A38 and further afield.”
Markham Vale has proved a huge success with existing occupiers including Great Bear, Smurfitt Kappa, Ferdinand Bilsteen, Gist, Meter Provida and Holdsworth Food.
Xbite was started at home in 2004 by Nick and Keely Whitehead retailing video games online. In 2012 it built its own premises in Barlborough and reached a £23m turnover.
In 2018 Xbite doubled their operating space at their current warehouse to 45,000 sq ft to cope with further expansion capacity for the future and this year saw a record turnover of £42m.
