ASDA Middleton Go-Ahead Would Help Local Firm Expand

Sept. 28, 2009 - PRLog -- ASDA’s new store development plans on Holme Well Road/St George’s Road in Middleton bring with them a potentially major boon for an established local company.

Brandon Medical – a high-tech company that manufactures medical equipment for operating theatres and critical care areas – owns and operates from a significant part of the ASDA proposal site, along with joint-venture company, Waldmann Lighting. Brandon Medical has been based on the site for 8 years and has operated in the area for over 60 years. The ASDA proposal has come at a time when the company is already seeking to expand and could provide the vital spark for that expansion.

The specialist company employs 37 people on its Middleton site. If ASDA is granted planning consent to build a new store, Brandon could then progress its own plans of relocating locally, underpinning its ongoing growth and commitment to high quality employment in South Leeds.

The new, larger facilities would include a brand new head office, a medical showroom, high bay warehousing and a significantly larger manufacturing space. In addition, Brandon Medical would retain ownership of the new non-retail business units that are part of the overall ASDA proposal. These would be used by Brandon to house a new customer support centre, research and development centre and customer training, creating a further 30-40 new jobs.

Managing Director of Brandon Medical Co Ltd, Graeme Hall, commented:

“We have exciting and ambitious expansion plans to double in size. The ASDA scheme going ahead would be a huge step forward in us realising them. Like ASDA, we are a well-established local firm and it would be a great story for two Leeds-based companies to be able to create new jobs together in this way.

Aside from assisting our own future-plans, I firmly believe that the ASDA proposal is the best fit for Middleton. We have considered both the ASDA and Tesco plans and the ASDA scheme would have much closer links with the existing district centre. Also having a bearing on the local area is that the Tesco development being successful would sadly steer us towards expanding in India rather than in Leeds, due to the lack of expansion space locally. This is something that we would do with reluctance but little choice.”

The multi-million pound ASDA investment would create up to 375 new jobs for local people, on the back of a 37,000 square foot (sales area) store, with a car park of around 350 spaces and a petrol filling station.

Brandon Medical anticipates the decision of the ASDA proposal, expected to be announced later this year.

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Brandon Medical are acknowledged experts in Medical Lighting, Medical Power & Control Systems, Medical Video and in Medical AV Systems with a unique expertise in providing integrated solutions.