UAP has put all its processes under one roof as well as more than doubling its stockholding capacity with the launch of its new£750,000, 120,000sqft HQ in Bury, Greater Manchester.
Order fulfilment for all seven UAP brands has been streamlined through specialised racking as well as new picking systems and software. The building also houses the company’s production lines, testing centres, and training facilities and its new 3,000ft² Fire Door Maintenance Training Academy.
The move follows a year which has seen UAP’s overall business grow by more than 50 per cent. Strategic acquisitions with Maher London and Security Hardware helped to fuel this expansion. The company also invested in two new businesses in 2023 – Fire Door Maintenance (FDM) and Armadillo Metal Coatings.
A total of 80 employees are based at the site, in the Orbital 60 complex, with teams at Security Hardware and Locking Systems remaining at their existing locations in the West Midlands and Tyne & Wear respectively.
CEO David Jennings said: “Our move to Orbital 60 is fundamental to our growth strategy. We have shifted from a labour-intensive warehouse system to a lean way of working and more modern facilities which will see future automation and less waste.
“With significantly more storage and streamlined processes, we can also hold extra stock for our UK customers and are working with our suppliers to maximise economies of scale for every product we buy.
“Another benefit of our new site is that it can better accommodate our growing workforce. Our acquisitions, diversification and new headquarters will count for nothing without significant investment in our people. At all levels, we have added depth and strength to our teams. This includes the arrival of highly experienced and knowledgeable people from across the industry thanks to our targeted acquisition strategy.”
UAP has been based in Bury since 1999 and operates across seven brands: UAP Fullex, UAP Locking Systems, UAP Intelligent Hardware, UAP Firemongery, UAP TradeLocks, UAP Security Hardware, and online specialist X-Fort.
