Partner Article

Irish ingredients business expands UK presence in Macclesfield

Willows Ingredients has expanded its UK presence on Orbit’s Tytherington Business Village near Macclesfield to accommodate a growing workforce.

The family-owned company, whose head office is in County Wicklow, is a distributor of raw materials for global food, healthcare, sports and animal nutrition industries. It imports high quality product from all over the world and supplies it to leading brands across the UK, Ireland and North America. It also has a Shanghai office.

It’s UK sales and management team will now be based in 2200 sq ft at Elmwood Court at Tytherington, expanding into more space from nearby Springwood Court.

The new offices will provide ample space for a safe, socially-distanced return to work from lockdown for Willows’ six-strong UK team – up from three 12 months ago. There is also an opportunity to take more accommodation at Elmwood as the business continues to grow.

Rising consumer interest in dietary supplements, the rapid growth of the sports nutrition market, expansion of stand-alone and customised animal nutrition solutions, and, not least, the search for more sustainable food stuffs to reduce impact on the planet, have all contributed to a consistent year on year growth picture for Willows.

Rachell Hipkiss, Head of Sales at Willows, said the move had gone very smoothly thanks to the efforts of Orbit’s team on the ground. “To be fair my colleague Debbie had her eye on Elmwood Court from the off. We consider this our ‘forever’ home. It had to be on this park – the amenities and rural location is second to none - and its good rail and road network and proximity to the airport is important for our global customer base.

“It’s also a place we can be proud to bring clients with private meeting space and bright, roomy kitchen facilities and the support of a building manager. This is particularly important as we bring the team back in after lockdown. While we look after making our own office safe and sanitised, we know Orbit’s team is looking after the common areas. It gives us confidence to return.”

Rachell added: “We should also mention Jade Tighe, who supplied all the furniture for us from fit out specialists CAPS Projects UK in Macclesfield. She did a great job.”

Orbit’s Leasing Surveyor Benn Dickinson, who helped manage the move, commented: “Willows Ingredients is an important existing client and we are delighted to be helping them in the next stage of their growth journey. The new offices in Elmwood will not only provide for what they need now, it has plenty of room for growth.”

Tytherington Business Village lies just two miles north along The Silk Road from Macclesfield town centre and is an established, mixed-use business and residential community set in 43 acres of mature parkland.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sue Souter .