The open day and official launch of Shire Eco-Lodges at the company’s factory in Sutton Bridge on Friday was a big event for the area, promising more than 70 new jobs within a year making an unique product tailored to present-day and future needs.
The company has been established since 1945 and for the past 35 years has been concentrating on manufacturing garden buildings, supplying many household names.
Shire currently has 150 employees split between its two manufacturing sites in Sutton Bridge and Wisbech.
The Sutton Bridge site concentrates on the manufacture of log cabins and has for the last 12 months embarked upon producing a range of Eco-Lodges built to current house building regulations.
Graham Garrett leads the team at Sutton Bridge with his 35 years experience in the modular timber frame housing business.
Shire Eco Lodges are ‘C’ rated with the ability to be upgraded to an ‘A’ rating. By comparison standard ‘park homes’ possess no ratings being only manufactured to caravan standards.
Annual running costs along with emissions are cut to more than half those of a comparable building. A 48 sqm building will cost just £340 a year to heat, light and supply with hot water.
Life expectancy of a Shire Eco Lodge is 60 years plus and they come out of the factory fully finished and furnished to customer specification including all fixtures and fittings.
Shire offers a design service to suit individual needs whether this be a two, three or four-bedroom retirement bungalow, holiday home, single room studio, office or bedsit.
Graham Garrett said ‘We are very optimistic for the ongoing success of our Eco Lodge ranges they are an exciting bang up-to-date accommodation solution at very competitive prices.’
* Shire Eco-Lodges, Tydd Bank, Sutton Bridge, PE12 9XE. Telephone 01406 359052. www.shire-eco-lodges.co.uk