Mellor: new Rochdale unit could start up in May

Rochdale-based coach Mellor says expansion of its Miall Street facility by acquisition of an adjacent site (BCB 13 October 2017) could produce results in spring.

The acquisition of the site will provide Mellor with an additional 15,000 sq ft of space which will be used for manufacturing and administrative offices. The £1m investment made by the company includes the purchase of the site and the planned upgrade and refurbishment project, which is scheduled to be completed by June 2018.

In addition, the expansion plans will result in two new production lines and the creation of up to 40 new manufacturing and administrative jobs for the coach company over the next three years.

John Randerson, Managing Director – Bus Division for parent company Woodall Nicholson, said: “This purchase and planned expansion of our facilities will massively increase our production output and although we anticipate the redevelopment will be completed by June, we anticipate manufacturing will be taking place as early as April/May 2018.

“Our expansion plans are the result of an increase in demand for our products… This is particularly so in light of our moves into the European passenger transport market, which also commenced in 2017.”

The site being acquired by Mellor was formerly occupied by Honnor Marine, which produced small sailing boats. Before this, the premises were, appropriately, a coach depot and bus garage.