New HQ for Vitacress Ltd
3 Febuary 2011
A regional workplace fit-out specialist has signed off on a four-week project to transform the new Hampshire headquarters of Europe’s leading grower and packer of ready-to-eat salads.
Vitacress Ltd, which is one of Europe’s foremost providers of watercress, leafy salads, tomatoes and fresh herbs, relocated all of its group’s employees from St Mary Bourne, near Andover, and Chichester to a 5,526 sq ft (513 sq m) floor at Stoneham Gate, Stoneham Lane, Eastleigh, near Southampton.
ODT Business Interiors, based at Solent Business Park, Whiteley, near Southampton, won a three-way pitch to design and fit out the office, which has room for up to 35 people involved in finance, sales, IT and production technology, in a £100,000 contract.
The scope of works included feature frameless glazed partitioning and doors, the creation of offices, conference and meeting rooms and a break-out area for relaxing, as well as data, electrics, decoration, storage and audio-visual equipment.
Andrew Saunders, a director at ODT Business Interiors, said: “Vitacress, a highly professional company, is one of Hampshire’s great economic success stories, and it was an honour to be selected to transform the open-plan working environment for group office staff.
“They have just moved in and the feedback we’ve received is that the new look epitomises Vitacress’ corporate values as one of Europe’s leading growers and packers of high-quality salads.”
Vitacress is involved in the entire operation of its business, from fields to foodstores.
The vertically integrated process sees crops sown and harvested before being transported, inspected, packed, weighed, palleted and delivered – typically all within just 24 hours.
Vitacress, which now has more than 1,500 staff on the payroll, was acquired by the RAR Group, a Portuguese company, in 2008.
Nick Stenning, Chief Executive Officer, Vitacress Ltd, said: “Andrew and his team at ODT Business Interiors have created a very attractive workplace environment for us. Despite working to a tight time plan, over the Christmas period, ODT finished the work on time and we all moved in on the planned date.
“Our move went extremely smoothly and the new team has settled into the new offices with the minimum of disruption and are extremely happy in their new surroundings.”
The contract win is the latest for ODT Business Interiors in Hampshire – others include First Drinks, which is Britain’s fastest growing drinks distributor, at Hook, AIM-listed Matchtech Group plc at Whiteley, and drinks producer Bacardi-Martini near Winchester.
Other occupiers at Stoneham Gate include management, engineering and development consultancy Mott MacDonald and internet network provider Europacom.
Image shows: From left, Andrew Saunders of ODT Business Interiors and Vitacress’s Bryan Winch, Sales and Marketing Director, and Nick Stenning, Chief Executive Officer
Image copyright: Deep South Media Ltd
For further information:
Contact: Ron Wain, Deep South Media Ltd
Mobile: 07824 355523 Office: 01202 534487
E-mail:ron.wain@deepsouthmedia.co.uk
Website: wwww.deepsouthmedia.co.uk
