A German-owned specialist coin merchant’s move to Kent is the 1,000th investment project assisted by Locate in Kent since it was created in 1997.
International House, Ashford, is the new home for British Numismatic Treasury, the UK subsidiary of MDM, the fifth generation coin merchant based in Brunswick, between Hannover and Berlin.
The arrival of British Numismatic Treasury takes the number of jobs attracted to or protected by the county’s investment promotion agency since it was founded to more than 63,000.
Heading up the UK operation is Sylvia Martin, Marketing Director, who is also in charge of the company’s French operation in Paris and commutes between the two offices via Eurostar.
Sylvia said: “We needed offices with great connectivity to Paris. Having found Locate in Kent via its website, we explained what we were looking for.
“We rejected London as it was too expensive, then considered Ebbsfleet and Ashford, both on the high speed route. With a door-to-door commute of only an hour and 45 minutes, Ashford offered us an excellent home in the UK.”
British Numismatic Treasury is an official distributor for The Royal Mint, as well as other national mints, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Finland, France and the USA.
While every coin issued is legal tender, they are also highly collectable and commemorative, with a growing demand internationally.
Steve Barkess, the company’s UK Operations Manager, added: “With offices immediately available opposite the station at International House, and with Locate in Kent putting us in contact with recruitment specialists and other advisers, the business decision to move to Ashford was simple and straightforward.”
Paul Wookey, Chief Executive of Locate in Kent, said: “The arrival of British Numismatic Treasury once again shows that Kent has a great deal to offer international businesses, thanks to its connectivity to London and mainland Europe, cost effective accommodation and skilled workforce.”
British Numismatic Treasury has recruited its five strong sales and marketing team from within Kent and has plans to double this by 2017, and employ 20 within five years.
The announcement of Locate in Kent’s 1000th project coincides with its signing of a new three year contract with Kent County Council (KCC) and Medway Council which will see it play a greater role in the county’s economy development.
Locate in Kent’s work has also been given a financial boost following a successful bid to the European Union’s European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) by KCC, in addition to the funding support it receives from KCC, Medway Council, Kent Developers Group, and private sector partners such as Cripps, the county’s largest law firm.
Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Economic Development & Regeneration at KCC, said: “As the UK looks to build a new relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, we must continue to attract new companies and support the growth of existing business. Locate in Kent is an integral part of the county’s effort to create more jobs and a stronger economy.”
Rodney Chambers, Cabinet Member for Inward Investment and Strategic Regeneration at Medway Council, said: “With the Government’s commitment to growing the economy of the Thames Estuary, it is great to have Locate in Kent acting as the local champion and working with us to attract high quality jobs to Medway.”
