A cutting-edge US construction company has taken on new offices in Hereford to establish a UK base for its business.
Blueprint Robotics UK has leased workspace at Stirling House, in Skylon Park, an office complex developed by Priority Space in partnership with the Hunt Group and Herefordshire County Council.
The American company, which specialises in the offsite manufacture and site assembly of timber-framed buildings, will locate its new European team of design engineers here.
Working alongside Blueprint’s Baltimore factory, the satellite Hereford team will bring to the business extensive experience working with Europe’s world-leading timber-framed 3D design software, Dietrich’s.
Blueprint Robotics UK director of engineering Tim Griffiths said: “Our role in Hereford is to create a 3D digital twin of Blueprint’s building projects in America, incorporating every aspect of each build’s architecture and services including mechanical, electrical and plumbing.
“We then send our detailed production files to Blueprint’s state-of-the-art facility in Baltimore where advanced robotic technology is used to precision manufacture all the component parts needed for a new build. Assembly on site follows that.”
Four Blueprint engineers will be based at Stirling House, with plans to create a further four jobs in the office over the next two years. Blueprint will not be building in the UK.
Tim said: “We look forward to growing our team in Hereford. We chose Stirling House because we liked the blank canvas of the new building and could customise the space to create an attractive and effective working environment after working at home for so long. The superfast broadband, air conditioning, energy efficiency and electric vehicle charging points were also big attractions.”
Blueprint also chose Stirling House to be close to Hereford’s new university campus building from NMITE – the New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering – which opened at Skylon Park this summer. Their new CATT – Centre for Advanced Timber Technology – delivers courses in advanced and sustainable design and construction methods; building on Hereford’s existing reputation as a hub for timber-framed engineering and off-site manufacture.
Blueprint Robotics looks forward to working closely with NMITE, contributing to the curriculum and bringing new talent into their industry.
Director of commercial property developers Priority Space, Adam Richardson said: “We’re very pleased Blueprint Robotics has chosen Stirling House as its base in the UK. The company’s digital modelling team are a welcome addition to Hereford’s innovative and tech-driven business community, and we wish them every success as they work at the cutting-edge of the Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) sector.”
Mark Pearce, Managing Director of Skylon Park, Hereford’s Enterprise Zone, said: “We are delighted that Blueprint Robotics have chosen to set up their UK operations in Hereford . We are particularly pleased that such a cutting edge company has seen the commercial and competitive advantages provided here at Skylon Park by the high quality workspace available at Centenary Court and the direct links to NMITE’s new specialist Centre for Timber Technology.”
Stirling House is a high-spec 14,708 sq ft office development with suites of different sizes available to buy or let. It is part of Priority Space’s Centenary Park development of speculative office, industrial and warehouse units in the Government-backed Hereford Enterprise Zone, Skylon Park.
Blueprint’s neighbours at Stirling House include US surgical equipment manufacturer LeMaitre Vascular and Hereford Times.
Priority Space is committed to developing sites across the UK to create high-quality and sustainable workplaces which stimulate regeneration and economic growth.