A former Queen’s Award for Enterprise-winning company is set to relocate 66 jobs out of Bedford Borough as it moves to consolidate its operations near Shefford, councillors have heard.
is expanding its Hitchin Road site in Meppershall, Central Bedfordshire. 66 staff currently based in Bedford in its building drainage division, and a smaller production unit linked to its water management division, will move.
Jobs moving out of the Borough
Speaking to Central Bedfordshire Council’s development management committee, ACO Technologies PLC Richard Hill said the application was part of an effort to bring its operations together on one site.
“This location is to be mainly used for our rapidly growing building drainage division, which is based in Bedford with 52 staff,” he said.
“A smaller production unit with 14 employees, linked to our water management division, will move from Bedford to our Shefford site, initially in current buildings. That transfers 66 jobs overall.
“Our organic growth has been by product innovation, by constant manufacturing technology improvement, adapting to market and regulatory changes, and brand development.
“We’re one of the leading brands in the UK building materials sector. We employ 290 people, with 184 on the Shefford site. Our employees are primarily local.
“We see both of our divisions growing further. We’ll need to develop extra buildings to house new production technologies, enabling us to reduce our reliance on product purchase from Europe, while manufacturing and launching products which support or supplement our current businesses.
“Accommodating all of the business here allows us to grow for another 25 years. That would be so fitting given our journey and reputation to date, and help continue this local success story.”
By Euan Duncan, Local Democracy Reporter
Edited by Paul Hutchinson, Bedford Independent
