Stafford-based firm Saint-Gobain Abrasives UK has celebrated the relocation of its head office and distribution centre with an informative and engaging open event for employees, local dignitaries, customers and press.
Previously based at the old Universal Grinding Wheel Co. Ltd site in Doxey, the new Saint-Gobain Abrasives building, named Unicorn House, is now located on the Redhill Business Park, just off J14 of the M6.
The event begun with an overview of the history of abrasives in Stafford, along with an update as to where Saint-Gobain Abrasives UK are as a company today and the impact the move will have on Stafford and the surrounding area.
After, delegates were shown around the new facilities at Unicorn House – including the company’s new Centre of Excellence, testing and training facilities, customer services department and the impressive new distribution centre.
Adrian Hough, Country Manager for Saint-Gobain Abrasives UK, commented: “We hosted this event to thank our employees and key stakeholders for all their hard work and support in making this relocation such a huge success.
“We also wanted to showcase our new customer training facilities, for which we received a great deal of positive feedback. In particular, our brand-new Centre of Excellence and training provision allows us to conduct hands-on product training in a workshop environment, demonstrating best practices and helping to improve awareness on how to use abrasives safely.
“Here at Saint-Gobain Abrasives we are more than aware of the environmental impact of such a big move and we are fully committed to our sustainability goals. During our move, we ensured zero items went to landfill, through a combination of recycling materials and donating items where possible to charity.
“The location of Unicorn House was chosen with improved efficiency in mind, with one of the key benefits being simplified transport routes, which enables commercial traffic to be moved away from Stafford town centre to ease congestion and pollution.”
Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader Mark Winnington said: “Saint-Gobain Abrasives is a long-established Staffordshire company which is providing employment for the local community at its Stafford and Eccleshall sites.
“We’re pleased it has relocated to the County Council-developed Redhill Business Park, which is now fully occupied. It will provide an ideal location for its new development, which will enable the company to build on its successes as it plans future growth.”
