Freight forwarding business expands into new Wilmslow office

Freight forwarding business Banks & Lloyd has moved its head office to new premises in Wilmslow town centre to accommodate growth and adapt to new ways of working after the pandemic.

The company, which celebrates its 46^th year in business this year, also has a base in Spain and specialises in providing cost-effective and reliable transport solutions to keep supply chains moving – by air, sea, rail or road, – working with an extensive network of global partners.

The business has moved its 53-strong team into Orbit Developments’ Riverside Court after outgrowing previous premises. The new space is better adapted to the new requirements of having moved to a hybrid workforce of home- and office-based colleagues.

Deputy Managing Director Daria Banks commented:

“Banks & Lloyd is an agile and adaptive business  – you need to be to deal with the pressures of logistics – and Riverside Court allows us to be more versatile and imaginative with space.

“It has been a blank canvas so we have been able to mould it to meet our needs. We wanted it to be a place where people felt comfortable and valued, marking a new chapter for the business.”

Key firsts include everyone being on one floor – a bright, open space to work in – a proper reception area, more meeting rooms, a kitchen space built into the office with a TV, private booths for quieter working, chilled space for relaxing and escaping for five minutes if needed.

The freight forwarding business still benefits from its Wilmslow location that boasts easy access to London and Manchester Airport, as well as hops, parks and other amenities.

Of Orbit’s support for the move, Daria added:

“The whole Orbit team has been great, showing us the potential of the building in the first place and being on hand to answer questions, deal with contractors and make the move as seamless as possible.” 

James Nicholson, Leasing Surveyor at Orbit Developments, said Riverside Court provided a perfect solution for Banks & Lloyd:

“It gave them the scope to create an agile space with more focus on collaborative and social areas to complement home working and encourage people back in.”

Riverside Court is a three-storey, stand-alone building with private on-site car parking. Access to the building is via a spacious reception area, with a passenger lift. The building further benefits from a 24-hour monitored access control system to the main entrance.