The former Tucker Fasteners site in Great Barr, West Midlands is set to be redeveloped by property developer Barberry Group.
Barberry has lined up a 46,000 sq ft warehouse facility on the Walsall Road site, which served Tucker Fasteners up until 2013, when the long-established factory was shut by parent group Stanley Black and Decker (as reported in the Birmingham Mail). 220 jobs were lost in the move, blamed at the time on competition from the Far East as well as industries moving out of the UK leaving the firm isolated from customers. Much of the production was moved to Germany.
At the Great Barr factory, Tucker Fasteners produced rivets for automotive, aerospace and boiler manufacturers. The company was established in the early 1900s and build fighter planes in World War II.
Redeveloped site may appeal to distribution
The West Midlands Combine Authority investment fund has pledged £5.5m to help the site get back into use. The Combined Investment Fund has provided £2.9m of loan funding to Barberry for the speculative development.
There's a chance that fasteners could return to the site. If planning consent is granted it is expected the development will appeal to industrial, storage and distribution sectors, as well as occupiers in the urban logistics sector, e-commerce, wholesale, cash and carry, and trade.
Jon Robinson, development director Barberry Developments, said: “Our scheme will provide much-needed stock to the mid-sized industrial/warehouse sector within Birmingham. The limited supply of grade A stock available in the market, coupled with strong occupational demand, gives Barberry the confidence to speculatively develop the scheme. The prominent site has a close proximity to local population densities, is a short distance to the motorway networks and provides a great urban logistics location and opportunity for any business looking to relocate, and buy or rent, within the West Midlands.”
Hat-tip: Birmingham Post
