A Ledbury manufacturing company has started building a new factory in the town.
Jaga UK, which specialises in the design and manufacture of sustainable heating, cooling and ventilation systems, has begun building work on a new facility in Leadon Way.
The firm has been located at Orchard Business park for more than 25 years, and has expanded steadily during that time.
With the growth in the renewables sector, particularly the rise in popularity of heat pumps, of which the government plans to install 600,000 per year by 2028, the company feels it’s an excellent time to relocate to a new home.
The company, which employs 25 people in the UK, many of whom are based in Ledbury, has commissioned design and build company Collins to develop the new state-of-the-art building.
Named after Jaga’s Belgian founding family, who are still at the helm of the company, Kriekels House has been designed with a fabric-first approach to maximise energy-efficiency and minimise carbon emissions.
It will showcase the company’s heat pump radiators and low carbon heating and cooling technologies, which will all operate with eco-friendly ground source and air source heat pumps. Electricity will be generated using solar PV and electric car charging points will be available for staff.
The new site will be home to Jaga’s UK warehouse, offices and training facilities, where it plans to run training courses for heating engineers, installers, and contractors.
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It will be open to students too, enabling them to learn about renewable energy systems, see the technology in action and get hands-on with the kit.
Jaga will encourage local businesses to visit the facility to learn about renewable technology and how it may benefit them. As well as the training facility, two conference rooms will be available for businesses and organisations to use for meetings.
Jaga UK’s managing director Phil Mangnall said: “We’re very excited to be building our new home in Ledbury. Many of our employees live locally so it was important for us to remain in this area.
“We’re looking forward to inviting professionals from our industry here for training, and providing an educational space for students and the community to come and learn about renewable energy technologies.”
Jaga is hoping to move from its current location into the new facility next summer.
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