East Yorkshire-based rural broadband specialist Quickline Communications is to make a former mill complex in Willerby its new headquarters.
The company has doubled the size of its workforce since it received a huge capital investment in a buy-out last year, with the need to move spelled out as the ink dried on the deal.
Albion Mills, a multi-let site just off the A164, will be the new home, with a summer move from the current Hessle location envisaged.
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Three of the suites have been taken, forming a significant footprint to the rear of the site, with the three buildings interconnected and offering accommodation over two and three floors.
Chief executive Sean Royce said: “It is an essential move on our part and a huge expansion which will also allow us to manage our next recruitment phase. We’ve already doubled the number of staff we have to 100 and we expect to double that again very quickly to 200. We simply don’t fit where we are anymore.
“The search for the right property has been complex and we are delighted to say that Albion Mills fits the bill perfectly. Whilst our team is located all over Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, the majority are based in and around Hull so we needed it to be easy to get to and close enough to local amenities. Our people are important to us and we want a happy workforce. We want them to continue to work from home when they choose to, but also to have a dedicated workspace where they can collaborate, create solutions together and build strong relationships.”
Quickline, which has also recently undergone a rebrand, was drawn to the rustic brick and outdoor space at the Albion Mills site which it feels “really embodies its ethos and will make the business feel even closer to the rural communities it serves”.
It is the last built-up area of the west Hull villages before it gives way to rolling countryside.
Owner John Levison is a client of PPH Commercial, enlisted by Quickline to find a new base.
He said: ”We are absolutely delighted that Quickline is moving into Albion Mills. It’s a local business creating local jobs and helping homes and businesses across the North of England develop in an ever-changing market. The cash injection from their new owners is really taking them to the next level and beyond. I’m looking forward to seeing the refurbishment and wish them the best of luck in the future.”
Hull-based Chameleon Business Interiors has been commissioned to design and fit-out, with Summit Media having recently moved out, heading for the expanded C4DI tech space.
Shaun Watts, chairman, said: “We’re proud to be teaming up with a fellow Hull and East Riding business on this project and we’re delighted to get to work on creating a new inspiring workspace for the Quickline team. It’s particularly exciting given the nature of the site and the challenges of working on it.
“More than ever, businesses are putting a huge focus on the space their teams work in. Our work prioritises health, wellbeing, safety and the delivery of inspirational work settings creating a collaborative and engaging workplace environment.
“Quickline has embraced the future of working and I can’t wait to see the space start to take shape.”
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