US COATINGS company Sherwin-Williams – owner of the household wood stain brand Ronseal in Sheffield, Leighs Paints in Bolton, and Geocel in Plymouth – has taken 10,000 sq ft of office space for a new European headquarters at the Airport City Voyager building.
After a lengthy and thorough review of a number of European cities, it became very clear to our management team that Manchester offered the best in quality of life, business climate, connectivity.
Management of the company, based in Cleveland, Ohio, chose Manchester after an exhaustive review of other European city options. The selection of Manchester as the company's first choice was finalised earlier this year after receiving support from the city’s inward investment agency, MIDAS. This included assistance with property searches and viewings, introductions to local contacts for the property fit out, and outlining of the advantages of the Airport City Enterprise Zone location.
The new headquarters will house corporate support functions for the company, including finance, legal, sales and marketing. It is expected that approximately 60 new jobs will be created at the site, adding to the 650 plus people Sherwin-Williams already employs at their production sites in Bolton, Sheffield, and Plymouth.
According to Richard M. Weaver, Vice President – Administration for The Sherwin‑Williams Company, "After a lengthy and thorough review of a number of European cities, it became very clear to our management team that Manchester offered the best in quality of life, business climate, connectivity, and real estate options in which to locate our European regional corporate headquarters.
“The team at MIDAS was invaluable in helping us through the site location process and providing timely and in-depth market information. We think the selection of the Voyager House at the Manchester Airport as our regional corporate headquarters will position our company to best serve our customers."
Tim Newns, chief executive of MIDAS, said: “I am delighted that Sherwin-Williams has chosen to expand its operations here in Greater Manchester, joining a growing group of international companies ready to take up space In Manchester Enterprise Zone.
“The company assessed a number of alternative locations for their new European headquarters, and the benefits of Airport City gave Manchester the competitive edge.”
