Work continues apace to transform site on Caton Road in Lancaster into new £14m UK headquarters for Italian manufacturer

GVS Filter Technology UK Ltd’s new manufacturing facility and office complex will turn the 24,000 square metre plot, next to the Holiday Inn, into a sustainable and captivating riverside location.

Conlon Construction and Cassidy + Ashton are leading on the project and will deliver a transformative UK headquarters that pays homage to the company’s Italian heritage.

With roots stretching back to 1979, GVS manufactures highly technical filtration systems for healthcare, life science, safety and automotive sectors. The move will see all 200 or so employees from GVS’s current UK office in Morecambe relocate to a new two-storey, low carbon waterside development in Lancaster, in a move that supports the company’s drive to net zero.

Renewable energy and heat transfer management systems will be incorporated into the build.

The new headquarters will also feature a sophisticated drainage system that channels surface water through grassed swales within the car park, leading to a meticulously landscaped wildlife pond, before ultimately releasing the water into the River Lune.

The proposals see both parties working in partnership to transform an existing warehouse into GVS’s new production facilities comprising injection moulding and high-tech filter manufacturing, which is carried out under ‘clean room’ standards. There will also be space for warehousing and storage, plus a striking reception, office, and administration area. Completion is expected in spring 2025.

Darren Lee, commercial director at Conlon Construction, said: “We’ve delivered net zero builds for multiple clients from the education sector to industrial units, and we’re thrilled to be involved in transforming this site into an inspiring and efficient workplace. The plans by Cassidy + Ashton are spectacular.”

Miguel Aranda, Managing Director at GVS, said: “I am very impressed with the progress of the new building and am looking forward to the move next year in 2025. I can’t wait to start afresh in a new location where there will be improvements in our main drivers like safety, quality, delivery, productivity and cost, sustainability, inventory and the most important one, an improved working environment for our people.”

Alistair Baines, chairman of Cassidy + Ashton, said: “After several years in the making, it’s great to finally see the works progressing on site.”

He added: "We know how important this project is for GVS as a company and I’m sure it will help strengthen their operations both regionally and globally.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, GVS played a pivotal role in supplying the NHS with protective face masks specified to the highest classification.