ST MODWEN’S INNOVATION CENTRE SELECTED AS EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS FOR INTERNATIONAL IT HEAVYWEIGHT

Information technology heavyweight, Devon IT, has selected St. Modwen’s Innovation Centre at Longbridge Technology Park as its new European headquarters.

With a client list featuring the likes of Dell and IBM, Devon IT has established a reputation as the fastest growing provider of thin client hardware and software for desktop solutions. The high technology company has now set up its UK office at the Innovation Centre, in order to provide more extensive support services to its growing client base across Europe.

General manager for Devon IT, Adrian Hedges, explained: “Devon IT was established in America in 2004 and now has bases in the USA, India and China. The company expanded into Europe and the UK in 2008, but now requires a larger building that supports our growing brand and is flexible enough to accommodate our ongoing expansion plans.

“Taking space at the Innovation Centre was an easy choice to make, as the building perfectly complements the specialist nature of our business. St. Modwen understood our requirements and created an office environment to suit our specification, and the well connected location is certainly a huge benefit for us. As this office represents our European headquarters, clients will be visiting regularly from across the country and abroad. There is excellent connectivity from the Innovation Centre to the motorway network and Birmingham city centre, together with good public transport links literally on the doorstep.”

Bordered by the A38 Bristol Road South and Longbridge Lane, the £6 million Innovation Centre is a milestone project within the West Midlands’ Central Technology Belt. Now fully let, the 45,000 sq ft building has been designed specifically for start-up to medium-sized technology-focused businesses. Home to more than 40 companies, the Innovation Centre has become a thriving business hub.

Innovation centre manager, Andrea Fullard, explained: “The Innovation Centre is an incredible success story; and in a challenging economic climate, it has been extremely satisfying to see the building grow as a real hub of activity where technology companies are able to thrive in a highly supportive environment. Although the Innovation Centre is now 100 per cent let, St. Modwen can still provide assistance for companies looking for office space, with solutions to suit their requirements. We recently fitted out an office as a laboratory at the Innovation Centre, and we are always keen to assist with specific arrangements to create bespoke solutions for growing businesses.”

The Innovative Centre forms part of the £15 million Longbridge Technology Park which, together with the neighbouring 31,208 sq ft Two Devon Way building, has been designed specifically to attract a nucleus of high technology businesses to the Longbridge area.

Technology Park is part of the wider £1 billion regeneration of Longbridge. More than 400 acres is set to be transformed by St Modwen and Advantage West Midlands on the site of the former MG Rover works, delivering a sustainable community with the creation of 10,000 new jobs and up to 2,000 new homes. A new town centre will feature the new £66 Bournville College, which is currently under construction, and there will be vast public open spaces and an excellent public transport network.