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| 13/07/2007 LEACH GROUP GETS THE CELEBRATIONS UNDERWAY AT TRIGATE |
| Quantity surveyor and construction evaluation
specialist Leach Group has been so busy expanding its business this past
12 months that the company is only just getting round to celebrating its
60th anniversary - a year later.
The fast-growing firm provides high-quality, commercial services to the UK and worldwide construction industries, specialising in dispute resolution and arbitration. As well as looking after a portfolio of top-name clients across all aspects of the construction industry, Leach has just relocated its long-established Black Country regional base in Wolverhampton to new premises in Birmingham. Leach has taken a 1,100 sq ft suite in Nurton Developments' refurbished TriGate office building, 210-222 Hagley Road West, on a 5-year lease, at £12.50. Staff took up residence in mid-June, meaning they can now look forward to a belated birthday celebration of the founding of the company in 1946, along with colleagues from branches around the UK. "The company has been so busy this past year, that the 60th anniversary celebration was put on hold," said Leach managing director Melvyn Smith. "Our business has been expanding very quickly, especially our overseas work, meaning we've had to take on new staff. We have been looking for suitable premises in Birmingham for a very long time. However, now that the move has gone through, we hope to have a party later in the summer to celebrate our anniversary in style." The main reason for the relocation from Compton Road, Wolverhampton, was so Leach could be nearer its clients, including many solicitors' firms in Birmingham city centre, he added. "Apart from the fact that TriGate is a modern, noise-free, managed building, and has a city address, it's also so much easier to travel to, especially when we are recruiting new people," said Mr Smith. "Wolverhampton is only 10-15 miles away, but to get to it through Birmingham can take up to an hour and a half, depending on traffic, so this is an ideal location for us, especially as there is room for us to expand further." Leach works closely with the legal profession, as much of its work covers arbitration and adjudication. The company prides itself on its ability to manage disputes through mediation, before they reach a formal dispute stage. "We probably settle more disputes at an early amicable stage and avoid going to formal legal proceedings," said Mr Smith. "This is beneficial to our clients, who are very busy themselves and don't want to go to court, which is very time-consuming and expensive. We have been in the business a long time and our track record speaks for itself. We work for most of the major contractors and have framework agreements with several of them, whereby we are top of their list of people to call when problems arise." Nurton purchased the former Quadrant West property early last year and spent £1.5 million on a complete makeover of the building, including transforming the exterior elevations and renaming it TriGate. The tri-winged office block - for many years, the corporate headquarters of chemical manufacturers Albright & Wilson - is a landmark building, on the corner of Hagley Road West and the Wolverhampton Road, just minutes away from Junctions 2 and 3 of the M5. The building offers up to 12,000 sq ft of open-plan floorplates on each level, comprising 3,896 sq ft in each wing and totalling 73,000 sq ft. The refurbished property now includes a new comfort cooling system, new ceilings, upgraded lighting and new carpeting. The central core has also been refurbished, with new toilets and a repositioned and enlarged reception area. Additional car parking has been created and the exterior has been re-clad in silver panels. Leach has taken Suite 2 on the 6th floor in the West Wing, and other current occupiers include Provident Financial Ltd, Reliant Security Services, PPG Industries and Flexibase Ltd. The suites are aimed at occupiers not requiring a city centre address, but who want city centre-standard office accommodation, says Charles Warrack of letting agents Kings Sturge. The remaining suites are on floor(s) 6th, 5th, 4th 3rd and 1st and are available to lease immediately. ENDS Editor's notes: The company originated in Wolverhampton in 1946, when it was founded as ET Leach and Partners, by Ernie Leach, a pre-war builder who turned to Quantity Surveying dealing with the commercial management of heavy civil engineering and motorway work in the 50s and 60s. He was also a founder member of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors. The company HQ is based in Chippenham, Wiltshire, and there are offices in London, Tadcaster and Gosport. Leach's extensive, international, portfolio includes clients across Europe, the USA, Africa, South America, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, India and Vietnam. |
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