A booming logistics company has made a major investment in its future success by leasing a large distribution unit in Bedfordshire. Miniclipper Logistics has agreed a 15-year lease on Hi-Bay 1250, an 85,000 sq ft property at Stanbridge Road, Leighton Buzzard.
The property is owned by Worcestershire-based Barberry Developments. Director Henry Bellfield announced the deal, and added: “Miniclipper Logistics is a fantastic success story and one which I’m sure will continue as the company expands its operations.
“The driver for their move to Hi-Bay 1250, which represents a significant increase in their warehouse space, is largely due to the growth and success of their business. The operational efficiencies Hi-Bay 1250 provides them with will offer further scope to increase their staff, turnover and profitability.”
There are now two tenants on the site, with Miniclipper joining SCA Packaging, which signed a 15-year lease in 2008 and was recently acquired by DS Smith in a £1.3billion deal. Miniclipper Logistics – an independent family business with over 40 years of UK distribution expertise – is a respected supplier of high quality transport and warehousing services to both retail and industrial sectors.
Operating from three main cluster sites in Leighton Buzzard, less than one hour north of London and just minutes from the M1, it stores 15,000 pallets in its existing 150,000 sq ft of modern warehousing. With a fleet of 32 rigid and articulated vehicles, and membership of the Palletline and Hazchem networks, it delivers palletised freight throughout the UK next day.
Clients from a broad spectrum of business sectors including, gardening, clothing, foods, raw materials, and homeware who work with the demands of major national manufacturers, retailers and high street independents, need their logistics suppliers to work in partnership to conquer and pre-empt delivery issues on a daily basis.
Miniclipper managing director Peter Masters said: “As a growing business it was vital that we were able to secure a new distribution unit and we were keen to keep the focus of our operations here in Bedfordshire. We are therefore delighted that we have been able to agree a deal with Barberry Developments for the 85,000 sq ft unit at Hi-Bay 1250. A major part of the appeal was that it was a fully operational unit, ready for us to move into with minimal disruption to our business.”
Hi-Bay 1250 comprises a refurbished single storey warehouse/industrial building served by seven dock level doors and one level access door, with an eaves height of 12.5 metres. It has racking with potential for up to 14,000 pallets and comes with heating and lighting already installed. There is a large compound for HGV turning and trailer parking together with ample car parking. The site is served by a new NSI Gold Accreditation installed security system which includes a controlled access gate and 24 hour CCTV monitoring. It is conveniently located near the A5 in Leighton Buzzard, just five miles from both Milton Keynes and Dunstable.
Agents James Watson, of Savills’ London office, and Paul Davies, of Bidwell’s in Milton Keynes, advised Barberry on the letting. Barberry is a privately-owned development and investment company established in 1991 and based in the West Midlands. The company is active in all sectors of the property market and has a reputation for creating investments for institutional markets. Barberry has also completed several partnership and joint venture developments.