The company, which already employs 600 people in the city, is more than doubling its light manufacturing, warehousing and distribution operations with additional capacity at a 133,000 sq ft unit on Glaisdale Industrial Estate at Bilborough.
Manufacturing director David Burke said this was a significant vote of confidence in the continued development of the £100m turnover company and a welcome boost for local manufacturing.
“We have performed very well over the last couple of years and are starting to outgrow our current facilities at Colwick as a result of the upsurge in demand for our products,” said Mr Burke. “When fully operational we expect around 200 people to be working from the new site. Initially some of these will be transferred from our operations at Colwick, but we expect to begin local recruitment early in 2008. It’s likely that about 100 new roles will be created in the next two to three years.”
Hillarys core business is it’s made to measure blinds service where the firm’s advisers measure up and fit blinds. It has also developed an online service web-blinds.com and sales of awnings and shutters. The company also sells to trade customers under the brand name Arena and to non-residential commercial customers through a separate division, Hcd.
The company has recently changed hands in a £225m deal and is now owned by venture capitalists European Capital.
Notes to editors. Headquartered in Nottingham, Hillarys also has assembly facilities in Washington, Tyne and Wear. It employs over 1000 people in total, and also has a team of over 900 self-employed sales advisors.
