Fun and games as businesses ‘go for gold’ at Lock 50 Business Centre

Gemma Hall and Debby Turner from Mondo with Councillor Mohammad Sharif, and John Taylor of Pennine Land

A trio of businesses have moved into the Lock 50 Business Centre off Oldham Road including an international toy and sport company that is set to produce the running track for the 2012 Olympics.

Outdoor toy manufacturer Mondo UK, a subsidiary of Italy based Mondo International, has taken a 540 square foot office suite where staff will deal with sales and administration for both the toy and athletic divisions.

The company, which produces colourful play balls and space hoppers, was founded in 1948 and now employs 1,500 people world-wide. It has grown from a small craft business into a multi-national group and now also produces flooring, manufacturing the last nine Olympics Games’ running tracks and has the won the contract for 2012.

Joining Mondo at the canal-side business centre is international support services and construction company, Carillion, recently appointed as selected bidder to work in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council to deliver their £196 million Building Schools for the Future programme.

Under the 'inspiredspaces' brand, Carillion has taken 1,500 square foot of office space to house a special team that will head up the schools project that will deliver 14 new or refurbished schools and colleges over a four-year period, with work due to start in January 2010.

Specialist employment services provider Remploy has also taken a 759 square foot unit, where staff will deliver the Government’s Flexible New Deal programme, supporting long term unemployed people back into work in association with Serco.

The £1.8 million business centre, managed by North Manchester Enterprise Group Limited, was launched in 2008. The project was led by Rochdale Borough Council with the construction of the three storey building managed by Pennine Land, the development arm of the Rochdale Development Agency. It was funded by Rochdale Borough Council, SRB5, the North West Regional Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration at Rochdale Borough Council, Councillor Mohammad Sharif, said: “It is wonderful to see such a diverse mix of organisations looking to expand their services and choosing Lock 50 and Rochdale. The centre is nearly fully occupied and offers a great location for office based businesses, close to the train station and our future Metrolink stop.”

Debby Turner, Office Manager for Mondo UK in Rochdale, said: “We are really pleased to have set up a new office in Rochdale; we were impressed with the facilities and the location is easy to get to.

"We’ll be dealing with national sales for our toy and sports division.”