Ringwood: Eberspächer UK completes £6.5m investment

After a two-year planning and building project, Eberspächer UK has completed a major £6.5 million investment, the largest in its history.  This sees the company – the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of fuel-operated heating, air conditioning and climate control systems for automotive, marine, construction equipment and military applications – open a brand new, state-of-the-art head office, manufacturing and warehousing facility at Forest Gate, Ringwood, Hampshire.

The purpose-built facility is now fully operational after the company moved in over the Christmas period to ensure minimal disruption to its customers. Eberspächer UK is planning major expansion of its UK sales and manufacturing operations, and the new building will help achieve these goals.  Eberspächer’s new headquarters is three times the size of the old facility, which the company had occupied since 1989. Prior to that, the company started trading in 1977 from a small unit in the heart of the New Forest.

The new two-storey building is 56,791sq ft in area and consolidates Eberspächer UK’s three existing premises in the Ringwood area into one.  It will provide Eberspächer UK with more manufacturing capacity, both for its existing air conditioning and climate control units as well as the production of a new range of evaporators and condensers.  These products will not only be sold in the UK but also in Eberspächer UK’s worldwide export markets, which are expected to double in value over the next three years.

The move into the new building will also create employment opportunities, with Eberspächer UK expecting to increase its workforce by some 15% over the next 12 months. With the number of employees currently standing at 85 people, new recruits are expected to join its design/development, manufacturing, sales and warehousing activities.

Eberspächer UK’s new facility will also house a state-of-the-art climatic chamber, boasting a temperature range of -30°C to +60°C. This chamber will facilitate the development of new evaporators and condensers that will be entering the company’s product portfolio in the coming months.

Vince Lee, Eberspächer UK’s managing director, said: “Eberspächer UK has a proud history of developing and manufacturing air conditioning and climate control products from our headquarters in Ringwood. With the creation of our brand new facility, we have an unprecedented opportunity to increase production, reach a greater number of customers, and bring the latest technologies and innovations available in the industry to life.

“It was important for us to remain close to where it all began nearly 40 years ago,” continued Lee.  “This record investment reflects our commitment to our New Forest roots and to raising the profile of Eberspächer within the UK.  We plan that with the building’s extra production capacity, additional workforce and state-of-the-art equipment, we will continue to grow and become a bigger part of the Eberspächer group’s operations worldwide.”

Eberspächer’s new home will also be one of the most energy efficient buildings in the region. With its ‘A’ rating, the headquarters ranks above average for new buildings, a level achieved thanks to the inclusion of a number of features, such as eco-friendly lighting and enhanced insulation materials.

“Our new headquarters has been designed for efficiency and to minimise its impact on the environment.  In addition to lower energy costs and efficiency gains, the new building has allowed the closure of two small satellite storage facilities in the area, which will deliver further cost savings,” explained Lee.