Say Cheese! £15 million production facility to be built near Stroud, and it's got people in mind

Dairy Partners, the British dairy company manufacturing Mozzarella and pizza cheese products for customers globally, has appointed Cheltenham-based Pentadel Project Management to design and deliver its new headquarters near Stroud in Gloucestershire.

And the new 7,000 m2 facility on a 2.1-hectare greenfield site just outside Stonehouse, isn't only going to deliver to the demanding requirements of an ambitious food producer, but also for its staff too. Pentadel and Dairy Partners were determined that this facility should be designed to respect the body’s circadian rhythm, providing a constant connection to the external environment and so boosting energy and mood.

Incorporating production, storage and logistics areas, as well as offices, a test kitchen and café, the building also provides scope for expansion with areas set aside for future production lines and new freezer equipment.  It is currently in construction and on track to be completed early next year.

Dairy Partners – a family-owned business – chose to work with Pentadel because of its unique approach to the design of industrial facilities.  By taking a people, environment and community-centred approach, Pentadel has designed a building that will provide a healthy, happy workplace for more than 100 Dairy Partners employees in the long term.

Robert Peel, director and co-founder at Dairy Partners, said: “We are delighted to be working with Pentadel on our new facility that will not only underpin the future of Dairy Partners but also help attract people to come and work with us.

“The Pentadel team really understood our vision with an intelligent design concept that will deliver engineering and energy efficiency as well as creating an inviting place for us all to work.  This will help meet global customer demand for years to come as well as demonstrate that we are committed to being a sustainable business and employer.”

Roof lights allow natural daylight to be dropped into the double height production hall as well as the first-floor office spaces; and high internal spaces provide for an airy, spacious feel. An open plan terrace to the office and reception entrance with bespoke staircase will all help to bring the outside into the space. Internally, there has been no compromise on the space allocated for staff breakout areas – including a café and a viewing gallery onto the production floor.

The design of the new building also recognises and responds to the unique history and character of the site. The building boasts a central roof apex, in reference to archetypal industrial buildings, particularly locally through Stroud Mills.

It also optimises all aspects of the manufacturing, heating, cooling and air flow processes to maximise energy performance. The building is designed to use solar panels and features a rainwater harvesting system for toilet flushing. Heat recovery from thermal emitting plant and equipment will be used to provide hot water in the offices as well as pre-heating water for the boilers.

“It has been a fantastic opportunity to work with Dairy Partners on the design of this innovative facility that the business and its employees can be proud of in the long term,” said James Kemp, managing director of Pentadel.  “We are passionate about delivering projects such as this – placing people and the planet at the heart of the design process.  We have worked hard to ensure that this building brings to life Dairy Partners’ core belief that its business should provide not just healthy, high quality produce, but healthy, high-quality employment well into the future.  Construction is now on track for completion in Q1 2022.”