Reading: Winnersh Triangle wraps up 2017 and stands set for further success in 2018

Winnersh Triangle wrapped up 2017 under new ownership and with transactions totaling nearly 277,000 sq ft – including an award-winning deal judged to be the most important in the Thames Valley region last year.

The business park is poised for another successful year in 2018, consolidating its reputation as one of the premier commercial locations in the Thames Valley market.

Winnersh Triangle is set for an exciting future under new owner Frasers Property. The park is one of a series acquired in 2017 as part of Frasers’ strategy of growing recurring income and strengthening its 15-year presence in the UK.

During the year, Winnersh Triangle announced deals with 11 organisations – including international and national names – as either new occupiers or existing tenants renewing leases.

Welcoming in new names

2017 opened with an award-winning Winnersh welcome for new occupier BD. The global medical technology name relocated its UK operations into 44,000 sq ft of premium office space, taking the first three floors of the park’s major speculative development at 1030 Eskdale Road. Just three months after its move, BD expanded to lease the entire 60,000 sq ft Grade A building.

The initial BD letting scooped ‘Deal of the Year’ at this year’s Thames Valley Property Awards as the outstanding contribution to the market – judged by size, importance and location as having the most significant impact for the region. The win followed on from Winnersh Triangle being named ‘Business Park of the Year’ in the 2016 Thames Valley Property awards.

Other new names welcomed to the thriving business community at Winnersh Triangle were Sugatsune, Hanse Orga, Bilfinger and Home Group.

Japanese industrial hardware and components supplier/developer Sugatsune moved into just under 9,500 sq ft at 635 Wharfedale Road and leading German international engineering and services provider Bilfinger took 7,900 sq ft at 675 Eskdale Road.

Hanse Orga, leading independent software and consulting firm for treasury management and bank reconciliation solutions, relocated from premises in Windsor to take 2,579 sq ft of high-quality office space at 125 Wharfedale Road.

Finally, Home Group – one of the UK’s largest providers of high-quality housing and supported housing services and products – relocated into 1,682 sq ft space in the ‘100 series’ at Winnersh Triangle.

Existing names

As well as attracting new names to the business park, Winnersh Triangle also retained a host of existing occupiers. A series of lease renewals and regears during the year strengthed long-standing relationships with valued customers across the park.

CenturyLink, the third largest telecommunications company in the US and a Fortune 500 name, renewed its leases on two units of 105,325 sq ft and 24,347 sq ft. Market leader in test and measurement for the telecommunications and wireless industries Keysight Technologies UK (formerly Agilent) extended its lease for 27,633 sq ft. Sherwin Williams (formerly Valspar), the Fortune 500-listed international paint and coatings’ company, took 16,200 sq ft Grade A office space, doubling its existing footprint at the park. Automotive brake expert Akebono Advanced Engineering (UK) extended its lease for 16,139 sq ft. PureCircle, world-leading producer and innovator of stevia sweeteners, expanded from 2,600 sq ft of office space to take a further 3,464 sq ft in a standalone unit. And facilities solutions company Fisco renewed its lease for 2,113 sq ft.