Jim McMahon praises £1.8M investment in Oldham manufacturers headquarters.

Date published: 06 October 2021


Ultimate Products, the owner, manager, designer and developer of an extensive range of value-focused consumer goods brands, has opened a newly refurbished office at its global headquarters in Oldham, following £1.8m of investment in the space.

Manor Mill, which has served as Ultimate Products’ global headquarters since 1997, is a 200,000 sq ft, five storey former cotton spinning mill located in Chadderton.

The decision to renovate Manor Mill’s fourth floor was taken in 2019 in order to provide additional capacity for future growth and a better-quality workspace for the Group’s office-based workforce.

The renovated space, which is a great illustration of how historic buildings can be used for contemporary purposes, now contains an additional 250 workspaces, as well as a social area for refreshments and meetings, filtered ventilation systems, increased collaboration areas, and enhanced technology for digital meetings, along with increased onsite training and development facilities. 

The work undertaken also focused on improving the building’s efficiency, sustainability, and energy conservation.

In a strong vote of confidence in the local area, over £1m of the of the £1.8m financial outlay has been spent with Oldham-based contractors, including The Jordon Group, Mercian Electrical, Discounted Plastics, HNA Architects, Ligero Design, Kenyon Paints, George Hill Timber, Holroyds, Hire it Hire, and Cracking Racking.

Manor Mill was built in 1906 and became Grade II listed in 1993. Today, it contains offices for Ultimate Products’ sales, accounting and support functions, as well as housing the buying, design and marketing functions.

Simon Showman, Chief Executive of Ultimate Products, said: “I am delighted to see the transformation of Manor Mill completed. Manor Mill is a fantastic building with an incredibly rich history.

"Though the mill’s cotton production ended in 1990, we took up residence in 1997 and have thrived there ever since, which just goes to show how historic buildings of this kind can still play a key role in global commerce. 

"This project is also an important next step in our recruitment and retention of key talent, including through our flourishing Graduate Development Scheme, as well as providing sufficient space for further growth in the future.

"In addition, we have significantly increased the building’s energy efficiency, in keeping with our aim of reducing our impact on the environment as much as possible.”

Jim McMahon, Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton and Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, commented: “It is fantastic to see a company totally committed to the local area.

"Investing over £1 million with Oldham contractors is a considerable boost to the local economy, and increasing the capacity to 400 employees provides a brilliant opportunity for people looking to join a people-driven company.

"I am thrilled to see the way in which they are injecting life into one of our prestigious mills and bringing a whole new generation of people into work. It really does highlight Ultimate Products’ loyalty to Oldham, its people and the community.”  


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