Bury St Edmunds-based Sealey Group unveils 50,000sqft product development centre as part of ongoing expansion plans

A tool manufacturer has opened a multi-million pound product development centre as part of its continuing growth plans

Sealey Group, in Kempson Way at Suffolk Business Park, Bury St Edmunds, says the new 50,000sqft facility marks a major milestone in its ongoing expansion after a record trading financial year.

It includes offices, test areas, and logistics space, and will help the company meet rising demand for its products, as it serves workshops and trades in the automotive, engineering, agriculture, and defence industries, amongst others.

The new building will eventually house around 100 employees and provide Sealey with enhanced operational capabilities and quality control.

The expansion is a key part of the company’s long-term strategy, aiming to create many more job opportunities in the future.

Steve Buckle, Sealey Group purchasing director, said: “With currently over 12,500 workshop equipment and tools in our range, the facility is our launch pad in terms of product sourcing, quality control and safety testing; it is essentially a product hub of excellence.

“We are moving into the new space gradually over the next quarter and expect the site to be fully operational by year end of this year.

“The building allows us to bring all personnel involved in product sourcing and testing under one roof.

“From state-of-the-art photography teams to best-in-class quality control and product testing workshops, to technical writers and specialist buying teams.

“Previously, all of these departments were housed in different areas and buildings across Suffolk Business Park; we hope this will bring better product lifecycle coordination for the group and lead to greater efficiencies.”

Founded in 1978, Sealey Group is one of the town’s largest employers, with over 400 staff.

It operates from across 600,000sqft of office and warehouse space in Suffolk Business Park and trades globally.

Mr Buckle added: “Trading for the last financial year was a record for the group.

“However, there have certainly been challenges for us to deal with over the last few years linked to factors including Brexit, currency and shipping pressures, but our team has done a brilliant job successfully working our way through them.

“We are always looking for continual and sustainable growth.

“Whilst concentrating on our core product portfolio within the automotive, agricultural, engineering and bodyshop sectors, we are simultaneously building new brands and new marketplaces.

“Our home, garden and leisure brands, which launched in 2018 have seen exceptional growth and are very much part of the future business.

“It's certainly great to be a Bury-based business that is experiencing growth, despite the challenges.

“This new facility will enable us to expand and continue with the successful processes we already have in place, ensuring we can continue to lead the way in innovation and are able to maintain our position as market leaders in our product sectors.”