Fire-hit Grantham business 'elated' it can rebuild factory

A Grantham business is ‘elated’ it can rebuild a factory that was destroyed by fire a year ago and bring back jobs to Grantham.

Specialised Chemicals of Tollemache Road South suffered a major inferno, with fire tearing through buildings, causing explosions and walls to collapse.

Ten appliances and 50 firefighters took more than three hours to bring the blaze under control, as nearby roads were blocked and buildings evacuated. The cause of the fire was blamed on static building up within the building.

Since the blaze, Specialist Chemicals, which was founded in 1973 and makes aerosol products, employing 25 staff and exporting to 43 countries, has had to outsource much of its operations and rent office space 130 miles away, plus an office in central Grantham.

Some staff have had to work 130 miles away too, with them having to travel away on a Monday morning, staying in company-provided accommodation and returning on a Friday.

The planning application to South Kesteven District Council also said the replaced factory would allow Specialised Chemicals to re-establish production facilities back in Grantham and restore effective operations while at the same time improving its operational management, safety and risk management.

The application added of the current situation: “This is not sustainable and it is imperative that the operations are up and running as soon as possible.”

Responding to the council approval of the application to build a new two-storey 834 sq m building on a 7,352 site area, sales director Simon Holland said he was ‘elated, noting the anniversary of the fire is on August 25.

He said: “It will have a massive impact on the company. It’s not been easy for us since the fire. Everything has been a challenge. To have the factory approved is a big step forward.”

“The fact that we are able to come back to Grantham is massive. We are having to send lorries all over the country.”

Mr Holland said work would start ‘immediately’ on the new premises but he could not give a time frame as to when it would be completed. He also wanted to thank his planning agents Designspace Architecture and SKDC’s planning department for their approval of the application, submitted six weeks ago.