Major business boost for county

TWO major business expansions worth £5million are set for Ipswich and Felixstowe.

One of Suffolk's fastest growing companies, PIX Europe is to bring a £2million expansion to the Farthing Road Industrial Estate in Ipswich bringing in a new European Distribution Centre.

One of the world's largest rice producers, Satnam is also set to invest £3million in a distribution, office and logistics facility at Felixstowe, initially bringing in 30 jobs.

Stewart Booth, general manager of PIX Europe, said: "We now have room to develop our operations, and we need it.

"We have seen the business grow year on year by 35 per cent since our formation five years ago. We currently employ 18, and I can easily see that figure doubling in the next few years.

"The move will more than treble our serviceable space and that is on par with five year growth plans for the company."

PIX Europe manufactures industrial belt and hoses, supplying their products to most countries in Europe.

The company will move from their 10,000 sq ft warehouse on Ransomes Europark, to a 33,000 sq ft site formerly owned by Turner Chilled Rolls.

Building plans also include new offices and administrative areas. Construction is due to be finished by the end of this year and the company hopes to open on January 3 next year.

Satnam is a multi-million pound Indian company that hopes to move into Europe in 2005, including the site at Felixstowe.

Satnam currently has a 10 per cent share of the 300,000 tonnes of rice consumed by Europe every year.

The transaction will see Satnam move to East Fort, in Langer Road, Felixstowe.

The 11,000 sq metre warehouse was formerly owned by Schlumberger and sits on a 6.25 acre site close to the port.

Satnam will import, store and process the rice at its new premises and then redistribute 50 per cent to mainland Europe. The rest will be transported to London.