Samurai Machine Tools 10

Young mechanic scales up business first started in family garage

by Business spotlightNews

A 21-year-old Warwick mechanic has launched his first commercial product after scaling up a business he first started in his family garage. 

Ben Izen from Stratford upon Avon began his machinery business Samurai Machine Tools whilst still at school, and is now expanding his operations after moving to his first premises at Space Business Centre Warwick.

The 35,000 sq ft development, created and developed by Warwick-based property company AC Lloyd Commercial, contains flexible multi-use units which are available on 30-day monthly rolling agreements.

Space Warwick’s flexibility and unit variety allowed Ben to take the leap and move his budding machinery business out of his parent’s garage.

Ben’s business focuses on the design and manufacture of futuristic CNC machines for the hobby and light industrial market.

CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, meaning the machines run automatically to carve precision components from solid billets of aluminium, stainless steel, or titanium, with these components then used to make cars, planes, rockets.

The young entrepreneur had been building things since the age of five and was introduced to CNC machines when he began building an electric skateboard for a GCSE project, which he completed in his parents’ garage after the school’s machine broke. 

His work on the CNC machine was recognised with an Arkwright Scholarship, which offers mentoring and financial support for emerging talents in engineering and enabled Ben to continue building his CNC machine.

After leaving Warwick School in 2020, Ben continued to work on improving his machine, during the pandemic, using funds his other machinery business Izen Engineering b to launch his own business, Samurai Machine Tools, at just 18 years old.  

After gaining industry interest and building more complex machines, Ben began looking for a larger, more flexible base than his parents’ garage and found Space Warwick in 2023.

He was impressed by the location and facilities on offer for tenants, moving into his own unit this spring.  

The unit has proved to be an excellent fit for Ben and his expansion plans, with the move helping him to secure further investment and launch his first product on the commercial market.

He said: “It is a great new chapter in my business, we were having such a hard time finding a suitable commercial premises to expand my business, until we found Space Business Centre. The sign-up process was simple and we moved into the brand-new unit the day it was opened.”

“Everything about the facility is perfect, from the monthly rolling contract and location to the modern design of the units. The ability to expand into more units as the business grows is something that hopefully I and many others will find exceptionally useful.”

Katherine Skerry, Site Manager at AC Lloyd Space Business Centre Warwick, said: “It is great to hear how a move to Space Warwick has helped Ben’s business expand from his family home into a professional base.

“We are continuing to see high demand for units from small business owners in south Warwickshire and are looking forward to growing our thriving business community and enabling tenants like Ben to grow and explore new ventures.”

Space Opening 28

Eclectic mix of industries deemed good for business at Warwickshire site

by Blog

Mark Edwards, Managing Director of AC Lloyd Commercial, reflects on the eclectic mix of entrepreneurs setting up at Space Business Centre Warwick since opening in February.

The 35,000 sq ft development created and operated by AC Lloyd Commercial contains flexible, multi-use units available on 30-day monthly rolling agreements, and business owners from a wide range of industries are helping to turn Space Warwick into a thriving business community.

“We are thrilled at the early progress the site is making. Working closely with our site manager Kat Skerry, we have been able to place a number of talented, driven entrepreneurs into units that we hope will be the catalysts for growth for them and their businesses,” Mark said.

“Already, we have seen business conducting international trade, providing manufacturing innovations and offering popular services that people in and around Warwickshire are making use of.

“Our units not only provide practical space for storage and workshops – they also become the face of their business when dealing with clients and the public.

“As we approach a 40 per cent occupancy in the first few months after opening, the site already boasts a really interesting cross-section of businesses, particularly those that rely on regularly engaging with the Warwickshire public.

“We’ve had Precious Pooches, a fantastic independent dog groomer join us making use of their unit to host clients, as well as using it as a base to head out across the region.

“Kirsty Jacobs Personal Trainer set up her studio recently and it’s a perfect place to host exercise classes, especially for people living and working around the site.

“Tommicks provides electrical and aquatic engineering services, so it’s of course fantastic to have a base between Leamington and Warwick and so many residential areas with lots of potential clients.

“We have also had Blencowe’s Bakery join us as they expand from Oxfordshire. High quality bakeries are popular almost regardless of location, but with a business community, retail park and residential areas all within reach, Space is a great location for walk-ins and local deliveries.

“Our Cheltenham and Gloucester sites are also thriving with excellent food and drink creators who cover events across the country, and Space Warwick definitely has the potential to replicate that trend.

“As the site progresses towards capacity, we can see the early stages of a bustling business destination where both the public and corporate clients will feed off the entrepreneurial spirit on site with so much going on.

“Just as important as Space being a hive of activity is the fact that, with the way our units are set up and the nature of the business owners who are joining us, there is a strong personal element that you don’t find in many retail and services environments.

“Visitors can get to know the people they are doing business with and see how things work, which we think is a brilliant prospect and a fantastic advantage for business owners setting up here compared to elsewhere in terms of building connections and developing a regular client base.

“We have seen that collaboration is also a possibility not just between the businesses at Space Warwick, but with our Space Business Centres in Cheltenham and Gloucester, and we hope that this network will extend to other small business owners across Tachbrook Park and the rest of Warwickshire.

“There is so much opportunity for growth and the potential for even more industries and sectors to make use of Space Warwick, and we can’t wait to see the results in the coming months and years.”

Space Business Centre 17

New £5.5m flexible business unit scheme set to open in Warwickshire

by News

A new £5.5 million business and industrial scheme is set to open to the public, creating dozens of opportunities for local entrepreneurs.

Space Business Centre Warwick will be fully operational from the end of February and its developer AC Lloyd is hoping it will give business owners in Warwickshire and the West Midlands more opportunities to grow their existing operations or start new ones.

The Warwick-based property company is aiming to replicate the success of its Space Business Centres in Gloucester and Cheltenham, which are regularly at capacity with an ever-changing roster of local-businesses, in its home county.

Tony Hargreave, Property Asset Manager at AC Lloyd, said a host of industries from retail, manufacturing, professional services and catering will be able to make use of the business park, which is located near AC Lloyd’s headquarters in Tachbrook Park.

He said: “We are now just a few days away from opening our new Space Business Centre Warwick with a number of tenants already signed up and ready to get to work.

“The variety in the units is designed to accommodate a wide range of purposes, with mezzanine levels among the options, and we hope to see a vibrant business community develop here in the coming months and years.”

Space Business Centre Warwick is comprised of 61 units ranging in size from 285 sq ft to 840 sq ft along with two facilities blocks containing a kitchen, toilets and shower room.

One or two car-parking spaces will be allocated to each unit and there will be 12 electric car charging points installed along with solar panels on some of the roofs and a cycle shelter at the 35,000 sq ft development. Landscaping and green planting is also set to take place ahead of the official opening.

Space Business Centre 2

Experienced property professional appointed as first site manager of Space Warwick

by News

An experienced property professional has been appointed the first site manager of a new £5.5 million business and industrial park in Warwickshire.

Katherine Skerry has become property manager of the purpose-built 35,000 sq ft Space Business Centre Warwick in Tachbrook Park which is being developed by AC Lloyd Commercial.

The 61 units, ranging from 285 sq ft to 840 sq ft, are aimed at start-ups wanting to move from their home or garden shed into professional premises as well as more established businesses who are growing.

Katherine spent seven years working for one of the world’s leading property agents Savills in London selling new-build properties at different sites across the capital.

The mum-of-two, who has recently moved to Warwickshire from Worcester, said it was great to be involved with the launch of the Space Business Centre Warwick.

“I’m looking forward to meeting our tenants from the wide variety of businesses we expect to be based here and setting up a real community,” she said.

“That community feeling is really important for start-up business owners who may be taking their first step into having their own units and we want to make it as easy as possible.

“I’m excited to be involved in running a completely new site and I will be focused on the day-to-day operations of the Space Business Centre Warwick and dealing with tenants to help them settle in as well as looking after new enquiries to encourage more people to locate here.

“It is a fantastic new business park aimed at small companies who have reached a stage where they have outgrown their spare bedroom or shed and want to take their business to the next stage.

“We have the facilities to help them reach their goals as well as foster a community spirit between the tenants.”

Mark Edwards, Managing Director of AC Lloyd Commercial, welcomed Katherine to the business at an exciting time ahead of the launch of Space Business Centre Warwick.

“It is great to have Katherine on board with her high level of expertise as we sign-up tenants and continue to attract businesses to locate here,” he said.

“We are really pleased with the level of enquiries which highlights the demand for these kinds of small flexible premises that are ideal for office space, workshop and storage units.

“The location is also a big plus along with the fact that tenants have 30-day rolling agreements with no service charges”

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Local business is first to sign up to new flexible premises scheme

by Uncategorized

A Leamington entrepreneur has become the first tenant to sign up to a new £5.5 million flexible business premises scheme in Warwickshire.

Danny Ahern, owner of freight forwarding and logistics recruitment specialist DEOS Staffing, will move operations to the new Space Business Centre Warwick when it opens next month.

The Leamington-based business owner is the first company to sign a licence agreement at the park, which is aimed at start-ups and fast-growing business wanting flexible units to promote growth.

The move will see Danny take the business out of his home and into its first official premises.

DEOS Staffing is a specialist recruitment firm for the freight and manufacturing industry, working with clients in the UK, US and Europe.

Danny, an experienced recruitment professional, launched the business in 2020 to support one of the few sectors that kept going during Covid-19.

He said: “I had been looking for a first real HQ for the business for a while, and when I saw that units were available at Space I jumped at the chance.

“We have employees based in the US and Europe, and we have all worked remotely up to now, but Space Warwick will give us the opportunity to have a recognised headquarters, which will be increasingly important as the business grows.

“The whole process has been incredibly smooth and we can’t wait to get started.”

The move will allow Danny to continue his growth plans from a local headquarters, with the security of a 30-day rolling agreement.

Sixty-one units are currently under construction at Space Business Centre Warwick, ranging in size from 285 sq ft to 840 sq ft along with two facilities blocks containing a kitchen, toilets and shower room.

One or two car-parking spaces will be allocated to each unit and there will be 12 electric car charging points installed along with solar panels on some of the roofs and a cycle shelter at the 35,000 sq ft development.

Mark Edwards, Managing Director of AC Lloyd Commercial, said: “Interest in Space Business Centre Warwick is really ramping up as we near completion, and we are thrilled that our first tenant is local to the site.

“The fact that we are receiving lots of interest from Warwickshire entrepreneurs is in line with the scheme’s aim to support and facilitate growth for businesses in the region, and we are looking forward to seeing Danny’s progress.”