February 11, 2015
Model railway brand leader Hornby has announced its plans to relocate to Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent.
From 1 May 2015, the company’s office based operations, which include sales and marketing, accounts and human resources, will be based at the 220-acre science and technology park, which is one of 24 UK Enterprise Zones.
Hornby will occupy a 16,000 sq ft. space in The Gateway at Discovery Park. The new offices will be just seven miles from Hornby’s existing site, which is located in Margate.
Nick Stone, group finance director at Hornby plc, commented, “Our current offices were no longer fit for purpose and we considered Discovery Park to have the best office facilities available. The site also offers room for us to grow, an innovative environment to do business and a positive ethos, gained from being based amongst other businesses there.
“In theory, we could have relocated anywhere, however we were intent upon staying in East Kent for a number of reasons, not least because of the many loyal and experienced employees we have here, but also due to the area’s regeneration and transport links.”
Anna Stone, leasing manager at Discovery Park said, “We’re delighted to welcome Hornby, a brand leader and well-loved household name, to the site. Discovery Park is the place to do business and this is evidenced by the fact that we have grown from five original tenants to more than 100 in just over two years.”
Discovery Park’s industrial, rail and military past caught Hornby’s attention. The site has a colourful locomotive history, having been covered in rail marshalling yards during the First World War. It is located just a mile away from a former Train Ferry berth which used to transport goods to Europe and the Royal Engineer unit where locomotive designer Oliver Bulleid was based in the early twentieth century is also nearby.
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ABOUT HORNBY
– Hornby is a household name and is famous as the UK brand leader in the model railway hobby
– The company was founded by Frank Hornby in 1901
– The Group now also owns a number of other famous brands including Scalextric, Airfix, Corgi, Pocher and Humbrol
– It also operates a number of European model rail brands Electrotren, Lima, Jouef, Rivarossi and Arnold
– Hornby employs c.150 people who will be transferred to Discovery Park
About discovery park
– Discovery Park is Europe’s leading science and technology park, based on the outskirts of Sandwich, Kent
– The park is an Innovation Cluster where companies and organisations are encouraged to work together and share information
– Providing world class facilities, Discovery Park has attracted a host of international companies from the life science, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, science and technology sectors
– Facilities include research and development laboratories and specialist niche manufacturing facilities, commercial office space and warehouse solutions
– Discovery Park benefits from Enterprise Zone status
– Discovery Park is home to 108 companies, who employ just over 2,000 employees
– See our website for more details (www.discovery-park.co.uk)
