Haverhill-based The Guardtech Group celebrating big overseas expansion

A Haverhill company is experiencing the busiest international programme in its 24-year history – with one project in the small African nation of Djibouti among the many it is involved in.

The Homefield Road-based cleanroom installation experts The Guardtech Group has made a concerted effort to move into international territories in the past three years – and those efforts are now bearing fruit among leading life sciences organisations and high-tech engineering firms across Europe.

“We’re delighted with our recent progress overseas,” said Guardtech Group commercial director Mark Wheeler.

“We have a solution for every cleanroom requirement – and we’re proud to represent the best of British innovation overseas with our unique intellectual property.”

Much of the growth has been shared between award-winning portable cleanroom brand CleanCube Mobile Cleanrooms and quick-assembly business Isopod Rapid Cleanrooms.

The former is an offsite plug-and-play solution utilising shipping containers, which is a perfect logistical option for international shipping as well as using lorries on European road networks.

Isopod is a ‘flat-pack’ cleanroom pod system that allows for rapid delivery to sites all over the globe.

However, the group is now finding that their large-scale turnkey business Cleanroom Solutions and modular specialist brand Guardtech Cleanrooms are also attracting potential suitors, and indeed securing new business, at an increasing rate.

One particular highlight in the international schedule is a CNC CleanCube Multi 10 for deployment in East Africa – ten shipping containers conjoined side by side to create a 300sqm footprint.

That CleanCube laboratory will support a biotechnology company’s efforts to help stop the spread of malaria in Djibouti.

“It’s wonderful to be part of so many exciting innovations occurring all over the world,” Mr Wheeler added.

“To play our part in providing the platform for paradigm-shifting engineering work, or life-changing research and development, it’s a real badge of honour for the group.”

Among the projects the group is currently working on overseas are an 850sqm ISO5 & 7cleanroom for global micro-electronics innovators in Weilburg, Germany, a 90sqm ISO6 electronics modular cleanroom in Hungary, a 170sqm grade C modular for a biotechnology application in Lund, Sweden and a 300sqm ISO6, 7 and 8 high-tech packaging modular in Germany.

But the overseas work doesn’t end there – with a 150sqm grade B modular in Linkoping, Sweden for innovative sight restoration work, a 20sqm grade D pharmaceuticals modular in Absam, Austria, a 30sqm ISO6 pharmaceuticals modular in St Gallen, Switzerland and a 12sqm grade D modular and bespoke 8sqm Isopod in Stockholm also keeping the group busy.

Guardtech has already racked up an impressive list of overseas projects across the world in the past 12 months, including a 300sqm ISO5, 6 and 7 electronics facility in Jena, Germany, a 100sqmISO8 cleanroom for advanced composites work in Belfast, Northern Ireland, a 60sqm ISO7 CleanCube maxi for research & development in Upsalla, Sweden, a 130sqm ISO8 modular cleanroom for electronics manufacturing specialists in Zurich, a 20sqm bespoke ISO8 Isopod for automotive engineering in Morocco, 45sqm and 30sqm bespoke ISO7 Isopods for electronics in Copenhagen, Denmark, a 15sqm bespoke ISO7 Isopod for electronics in Budapest, Hungary and a 60sqm ISO6 electronics modular in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.

A significant part of the group’s recent successes can be attributed to Nordics & Baltics territory director Lars Strandljung, who joined the group last December.

Mr Strandljung has been responsible for securing a string of projects in his native Sweden already, with many more major builds on the horizon across his territories.

“It’s been a wild ride so far,” said Mr Strandljung. “The growth has been massive – exponential! But it’s been a lot of fun, too. It’s also been such a pleasure to meet so many inspirational characters in the Nordics & Baltics regions over the past six months.

“I look forward to working with many more exciting businesses in the years to come as we grow the Guardtech Group to even greater heights.”