Pallet-Track doubles size of Midlands hub

By Liza Helps, Property Editor, Logistics Matters

THE COMPANY has secured a 10-year lease on the newly refurbished facility which comprises four units ranging in size from 51,000 – 154,000 ft2, on a 19.5-acre site.

Goold Estates acquired the property on Spring Road, Ettingshall in 2019 from from London & Oriental Properties for an undisclosed sum in an off-market deal. It was let in ints entirety at the time to Great Bear Distribution, part of Culina Logistics Group.

The refurbishment of the buildings  raised the EPC to B throughout and includes new LED lighting,  redecoration, additional dock level loading doors, new PV solar panels, and new roofs. Goold Estates also installed new entrance gates, electric car charging points and CCTV, while improving circulation space on the estate. The site now has a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating.

Goold Estates Managing Director, Dominic Goold, said: “The speed at which this deal was done is a testament to both the strength of the regional market and the appeal of Waterways Business Park.

“We made a significant investment in upgrading the accommodation following the departure of the previous tenant, with extensive refurbishment works to improve functionality and security across the estate. Pallet-Track’s decision to commit to the site so quickly shows how well those enhancements aligned with the needs of a major logistics operator.”

Pallet-Track’s new hub at Waterways Business Park is double the size of the firm’s former nine-acre hub at Titan Distribution Centre on Millfields Road, which it has occupied since 2008.

Pallet-Track chief executive Stuart Godman, said: “Our main priority for Pallet-Track’s new central hub was remaining within the Black Country to ensure we retained our colleagues. Keeping efficiency and maintaining mileage for our shareholder members was also vital hence we are excited to move in later in the year.

“As a business, Pallet-Track has gone from strength to strength over the last 21 years, but our site could not support our continued success and our ambitious growth plans. Our central and regional hub strategy has been developed to enable us to save 64 million miles, on the four million pallets we handle every year, so maintaining close proximity to our current site is key.

“The site offers huge potential and adaptability, providing Pallet-Track with the flexibility we need to adapt to the industry’s changing needs and challenges, and the additional agility we need to maintain our position as the market leader.”

Avison Young principal and managing director David Willmer, who advised, said: “This deal underscores the continued strength of the Midlands as the UK’s prime location for logistics and manufacturing. The region accounted for over 60% of national take-up of ‘big box’ units over 100,000 ft2 in Q1 2025 – a clear indicator of its dominance in this market.

Avison Young and Bulleys were joint letting agents.