How we Transformed a 1970s Building for a Global Manufacturer

Across the UK, some of the most forward-thinking engineering companies are based in buildings that don’t mirror the innovation taking place inside. While some engineering companies are based in more modern spaces, many of the leading engineering businesses operate from converted factories and warehouses or the stereotypical regional office blocks from the 1970s.

These buildings are functional and, in many cases, offer a solid foundation for businesses at good rates. However when these properties were built, they were not purpose built for modern engineering companies and all the equipment they require in the day-to-day business operations. Lots of these buildings have low ceilings and winding corridors which makes them feel dated but also restricts collaboration and interaction. As many engineering businesses are driven by in-person work and face-to-face collaboration, working in these buildings can create barriers that limit optimum productivity levels.

When global manufacturing organisation Mpac realised that their 1970s building in Tadcaster was no longer supporting their business ambitions, they had to look at how to evolve their office space and embrace modern ways of working. After completing an 18-week refurbishment of their 10,000 sq ft, we spoke with their team to understand how reimagining their office design would inspire their people and impress their clients.

Acknowledging the need for change

Q: Was there one thing, or combination of things, that made you decide to renovate the building?

A: “We’d outgrown the office we were already in and the space we were in probably lacked natural light. It was small and it was cramped around the desk. If you think about the building we had, an old 1970s building, didn’t look very good, didn’t look very attractive to our customers that were coming in.”

“We’re a high tech business, we attract the sort of customers that need to come in here and they expect to see a certain standard.”

Renovating the building was “a significant investment for us,” but one that was essential. The Mpac team recognised that their workspace needed to reflect the innovation and quality that define the company’s work but it also needed to offer a level of experience that reinvigorated their building.

Taking a Phased Approach

Q:How did you manage to maintain business activity while renovating the office?

A: One of the big challenges facing companies across all sectors is the potential impact an office refurbishment could have on business activity. This was a key part of getting the refurbishment right and so we agreed a phasing of works that would enable us to stay operational.

“In phase one, we took reception from quite a closed environment to a more welcoming and open environment which enables customers to be more welcomed into the Tadcaster site. We then progressed the rest of phase one into the engineering offices, which took the segmented rooms, small corridors into a really open welcoming environment for teams to collaborate and work together.”

“In phase two we took the service area and really expanded it out to enable the team to come together, that required us to take down walls, opening the space up and letting more natural light in to enable the team to be able to sit and work together.”

How has it made a difference to your business?

Q: How have staff and clients responded to the new look of the office?

A: “The feedback from our customers has been really positive across the board. They can see the improvements we’re making throughout the facility and they’re excited, just as we are, to see the developments in the site.”

“It also really shows the positive and upward trend of our business.”

“If you think about the environment we’ve got now, it’s absolutely perfect for the type of business that we are. We make state of the art automation equipment, it’s a very creative process and mirrors our core value of “Ingenious Thinking”. We have to engage with customers of a similar mindset, and just being able to use this environment to nurture working together is great for our business.”

Choosing the Right Partner

Q: As a specialist engineering business, what were you looking for from a project partner?

A: “When we were working through the selection process for a partner to help us on this journey to enhance our site, what we were really interested in was a true partner. Not somebody that could just come in and do some work, but somebody that could work with us to make sure the way we changed the building was best suited for the people that we wanted to attract and for the people that currently operate within it.”

“What we were really interested in was a true partner.”

“So it was really pleasing to see that the creative aspect was done upfront, and therefore the surveys that we carried out engaged the people in the changes that were going to be made to the site itself. That’s really shown in the renovations that have taken place and the feedback that we’ve been given from the teams that now operate in those areas.”

Reimagining engineering offices

The refurbishment of Mpac’s site in Tadcaster is a brilliant demonstration of how engineering companies, and other businesses, can be successful and improve their productivity in their existing environment without having to relocate. These older buildings and converted use properties can be the perfect locations for offices provided they are designed to support your ways of working.

The layouts and configurations may not always offer the experience you want in your workplace but through some intelligent design changes, the whole working environment has been rejuvenated. Their teams are more collaborative and clients are impressed by the noticeable difference to the space. By understanding the way your people work best and how the working environment can improve wellbeing at work, you can create innovative, future-proofed spaces for your people.

Get in touch to learn how we could help reimagine your engineering office space.