If moving house is stressful then moving an entire food processing plant is not for the fainthearted, as David Danil, Managing Director of Levantine can testify. Add to this the fact that the company’s existing site was subject to a compulsory purchase order as part of HS2 and you can understand why the leading producer of processed nuts and seeds was not relishing the prospect.
For food manufacturers, changing the location of a main processing plant can be a long, expensive, and frustrating process and the last thing they need are unnecessary complications that could pile on more expenses or create delays in getting the new facility up and operational. Also, unlike their retail counterparts, companies that produce food products often have complex needs in terms of access to resources such as power, water and waste management and this doesn’t always endear them to potential landlords, particularly if their space requirement is relatively low.
“Most companies have the luxury of planning a move as part of scheduled business expansion,” David explains. “When you are faced with a compulsory purchase order, however, you find yourself in a somewhat tricky situation, wrestling with a myriad of potential obstacles – the biggest of which are finding the right location and moving the processing facility with minimum delay and disruption.”
I needed to work with a company that was prepared to listen, understand our
circumstances and work with us
David Danil, Managing Director of Levantine
As a business that grew from humble beginnings in a small kitchen in Battersea, London, Levantine is not one to back away from a challenge and, faced with the prospect of relocating the business, David set out to find a company who could help him turn the problem into an opportunity.
“I was aware that my wish-list was quite an ask,” David admits. “I needed an industrial unit in the right location to get people to and from work and products out to customers across the UK. Like many food producers we have a complex fit-out and require upgrades to all the principle services. On top of all that,” he adds, “I needed to achieve everything within a tight timeframe, so I needed to work with a company that was prepared to listen, understand our circumstances and work with us.”
Fortunately for David and Levantine, Prologis Dawley Road provides exactly the kind of location the company required. Part of a growing and vibrant business community in West London and with excellent links to air, road and rail transport, Dawley Road offered the UK’s leading manufacturer of edible nuts and seeds the perfect location in which to base its new processing facility.
In February 2018, the company signed a lease for a 28,081 square foot building at Prologis Dawley Road to help it accommodate future growth plans and act as a showpiece for potential customers.
“We wanted to work with a company who could remove the frustration of relocating our facility,” said David. “Prologis took the time to understand our needs and was able to accommodate our requests for the utility upgrades necessary to support our business.
“Having access to a skilled and dedicated in-house property management team also meant we had a trusted business partner who could help us with issues around licensing and building fit-out and, knowing we will have an ongoing relationship with the team is very reassuring,”
As a company described as an innovator in the processing of edible nuts and seeds, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Levantine has used this opportunity to look to the future and move its operation to a modern, sustainable facility, which will enhance its green credentials and present the right image to its customers.
We’re sure they’ve got the future all wrapped up and we look forward to watching the business grow.