An Essex-based laboratory furniture manufacturer is poised for expansion following a multi-million-pound investment in a new factory and HQ, with the support of Lloyds Bank.
ALS Labs – which designs, builds and installs specialist furniture for lab spaces across the UK – has invested in its own bespoke facility just outside the town of Halstead. It acquired a 26-acre farm in November 2022 and is now transforming the existing barn, cowshed and grain store into a specialist manufacturing, storage and distribution facility.
The buildings are being turned into a high-tech 3D design and manufacturing facility for its products. As part of the refurbishment, which is expected to complete in July, it will be adding thermal cladding and solar panels to make the facility more environmentally friendly.
ALS Labs produces a wide variety of tailored specialist furniture, from high-tech chemical-resistant worktops to fume cupboards and specialist storage units. All furniture is made to order for a range of clients and technical requirements, including universities such as Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh, as well as BAE Systems, the Ministry of Defence and Cancer Research UK. It currently works on in excess of 150 projects a year for its clients, ranging from small lab space additions to major multi-million-pound refurbishments.
The new location outside Halstead opens up a range of growth options for the business, which had previously only been able to lease factory spaces in Essex, and the move to the 10,000 sq ft facility is more than a 60% increase on its previous space.
ALS Labs, which currently has a turnover of up to £3m a year, now plans to expand its offering to create a range of standard furniture – such as cupboards, shelving and worktops – that can be shipped and installed immediately after ordering. It is also looking to develop a range of mobile laboratory units in order to provide a temporary laboratory facility for clients when an existing laboratory is being refurbished or during sports events, for example.
Gary Sprawling, Managing Director of ALS Labs, said: “Our business has been growing and building on its success for a number of years now, and it’s quickly become clear that we needed a space of our own to take our capabilities to the next level. Creating our own, bespoke facility was an essential step to give us the freedom to target new areas of opportunity and realise the additional growth on offer.
“The support from Lloyds Bank has been invaluable and essential to facilitating our growth. It’s an exciting time for ALS Labs, as we look to add further strings to our bow and better support our loyal customers – and our new HQ will be instrumental in helping us do just that.”
Stuart Wiggins, Relationship Manager at Lloyds Bank, said: “For more than 20 years, ALS Labs has built a reputation for being a trusted and reliable manufacturer of high-spec, quality lab spaces across the country. Gary and the team are now reaping the rewards that their years of hard work are delivering by capitalising on increased demand for their services.
“Despite a challenging year, it’s so encouraging to see that family firms like ALS Labs are hitting the ground running in 2023, and we’re set to be by their side throughout the year and beyond to help realise their growth ambitions.”
