High-tech firm announces move to Burnley industrial estate

Velocity Composites are a specialist engineering and supply chain company serving predominantly the aerospace composites industry and have seen a rapid growth in interest in their services in the North West over the past three years.

Operations director Chris Banks confirmed strong growth of the business resulted in the company investigating options for relocating its operation. “At first we retained consultants to find a suitable building for us, possibly in the Blackburn area. We never considered Burnley and certainly weren’t thinking of commissioning our own purpose-built facility,” said Chris.

“It was then we came across publicity regarding AMS Technology Park and, to cut a long story short, the location, surroundings and concept appealed to us and our business. Most importantly, it became a ‘no-brainer’ when comparing what we could achieve in a new, purpose-built building compared to the costs and uncertainty of modifying an existing property. AMS Technology Park is well located close to the M65 and the plans and strategy for the expansion of the site appeal very much to me and my co-directors.”

AMS Technology Park was formed earlier in 2011 as a joint venture between Stuart Nevison and Barnfield Construction Ltd. Stuart was originally a co-founder of AMS Ltd, with AMS Neve’s managing director Mark Crabtree. In the mid 1990s Stuart began joint ventures with Barnfield Construction Ltd, creating managed business space throughout the area, the best-known being The Globe Centre, Accrington.

Stuart said: “Velocity Composites are exactly the sort of young, vibrant company we believe will thrive in this environment. AMS Neve Ltd, who have operated from the heart of the park for 30 years, have enjoyed an unparalleled international reputation for their world-beating professional audio products targeted at the music, television and film industry. We welcome Velocity and look forward to their company continuing their meteoric rise from their new home in this unique environment. Although we are talking to others about taking space in the existing AMS Neve building, this new building on the site will be the largest planned so far providing approximately 20,000 square feet of new space for Velocity.”

Barnfield Construction will be constructing 15 industrial units with space available from 2,400 sq ft and 15,000 sq ft and renovating part of AMS Neve’s existing building into 18 office suites which will create an opportunity for businesses to share the same premises with a world leader in professional audio.

AMS Neve consoles were used to produce 80% of this year’s Oscar-winning movies, including “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”, “The King’s Speech”, “Black Swan”, “The Social Network”, “Alice in Wonderland”, “Toy Story 3” and “Inception”, and all of the 2011 BAFTA-winning films .