A Coventry and Warwickshire property firm has opened a new headquarters – exactly 50 years after it set up in business.
The Wigley Group, which began life as a plant hire and earth moving company before moving into commercial property, has moved to the Cobalt Centre at Middlemarch Business Park.
It signed a five-year lease on the new property, exactly 50 years to the day when it started trading at Barby, near Rugby.
The family-owned firm had run its operations – which also cover property advice, maintenance and insurance – from three offices in Coventry and Rugby before the move.
James Davies, of The Wigley Group, said the move heralded a major step for the company which owns the Sandy Lane and Henley Park Industrial Estates in Coventry, as well as developments in Newcastle and land bordering the A444 in Foleshill.
“The company has developed as it has grown. Originally it was a plant hire and civil works company which undertook drainage, road and other civil engineering contracts across the region,” he said.
“The founder John Wigley was a real entrepreneur and he developed several strands to the business including, at one stage, the manufacturing of plant and specialist prison fencing.
“At the same time, he built up land and property holdings which have subsequently been developed or are in stages of development.”
In 2010 the group launched two new companies – Wigley Commercial Services Ltd and WCS, to deliver commercial property, insurance, financial services and vacant property management.
Davies added: “Those companies have proved successful and it makes perfect sense, now they are established, to bring them all under one roof in a headquarters that reflects the development of the firm over the last five decades.
“The Colbalt Centre is perfect for our needs in terms of size and location, and will give us a further springboard for our activities over the next few years.”
The letting was arranged by agents Bromwich Hardy – who are now neighbours of the Wigley Group.
Tom Bromwich, of Bromwich Hardy, said: “We have acted for and worked with The Wigley Group for several years in various forms, most lately helping to market the property it has across Coventry and Warwickshire. It has widened its scope of operation in recent years and that has proved highly successful.
“We always take the needs of our clients very much into account when advising them – but as we are a couple of doors down on the same development, we were able to talk with first-hand experience!”
The Wigley Group is planning a range of activities to celebrate its five decades in business including a celebrity charity golf day at Staverton Park in June.
James Davies (left) and Tom Bromwich