A BOOMING group of companies which is moving into a new £2m headquarters next month has scooped contracts worth £6m.

Construction firm Kingerlee, which was set up in Oxford in 1860, is moving to a purpose-built two acre site at the new Langford Locks industrial park, off Langford Lane, Kidlington.

Kingerlee managing director Tony Woodward said the base would be much more than office headquarters.

He said: "It will also give us a state-of-the-art joinery manufacturing operation, as well as facilities for vehicle maintenance, a painting and decoration department and a thriving small works division.

"The joinery manufacturing operation has already moved into the new building and is now fully operational.

"The balance of the Kingerlee operations will move in October, clearing the way for the redevelopment of the existing site in Lamarsh Road, off Botley Road, in the New Year."

Kingerlee has occupied the 4.6-acre site for the past 35 years.

Chairman Jonathan Kingerlee, one of the fifth generation of the family-owned firm, said after the recession of the early 1990s the company had recovered strongly and was trading as profitably as it had for many years.

He said: "A significant contribution to Kingerlee's improving fortunes has been an increasing commitment to carry out speculative development projects."

The company is to develop the former Morrells brewery site in St Thomas Street, Oxford as well as building a £1.3m construction, welding and vehicle centre for Oxford College of Further Education at Blackbird Leys and a new £1.9m base for heating and ventilation engineers F.G. Alden Heating in Kidlington.

Story date: Wednesday 06 October

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