Teesside property firms join forces

A Teesside commercial property firm has strengthened its position in the market with the acquisition of one of the region’s longest-standing agencies.

Stockton-based Portland Estates Management has acquired Dodds Brown, a firm with more than 130 years of history in commercial property. 

Bosses say the move will mean “every base (is) covered” by bringing together Portland’s expertise in property management with Dodds Brown’s specialisms in selling, letting and landlord and tenant services, creating the Tees Valley’s only full-service agency.

Under the terms of the deal, all staff have been retained, forming a 14-strong team now based at Portland’s refurbished Stockton offices. 

Barbara Blenkinsop, who along with Olly Lawson from Portland and Richard Wilson from Dodds Brown will be directors in the new venture, said: “We believe we’ve got every base covered. 

“This is a very exciting step and we’re delighted to have joined forces with such a respected and well-known business as Dodds Brown.  

“Over the years both Portland and Dodds Brown have acquired clients from longer established surveying companies because we provide a hands-on approach with transparent communication and a proactive service. 

“We’ve each also cherry picked very good individuals to build a group of like-minded people and it’s going to be great to see them work together.”

Olly added: “I’m really looking forward to bringing all these skilled people together under one roof, taking advantage of economies of scale and sharing best working practices.”

“We’ll continue to look outside the Tees Valley, but this area has begun to take off and we want to play our role – as the only local agency of its kind – to ensure that business owners, their staff and their families see the benefits of the investment they’re going to make.”

Dodds Brown’s Middlesbrough office will now be sold and a new role has been created to ensure a smooth transition of the facilities management teams, with further hires expected. 

Richard added: “We’ll have a team of in-house accountants, facility managers and valuers and will not outsource functions.

“We believe that is so important to the smooth running of our clients’ operations who, crucially, will always know who they’re dealing with.  

“It’s going to be a focused team working together in one office.”

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