Mercury House helps bridge the gap between bedroom office and dedicated premises for bridge designers and builders, Sarum Hardwood Structures.
Sarum Hardwood Structures, specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of timber bridges, boardwalks, jetties and related structures, has relocated from Lincolnshire County Council's Mercury House Business Centre in Gainsborough to a newly acquired premises in Skellingthorpe.
The move marks a major milestone for the company, which has grown rapidly since UK Sales Manager Jason Lumley joined the business in 2022 and began working from a spare bedroom at home.
Today, the company designs and delivers bridges and timber structures across the length and breadth of the UK.
As Jason explained: "When I started with the business, I was literally working from my upstairs bedroom. It worked for a while, with most stuff being online nowadays, but we realised that if we wanted to grow, we needed a professional base and somewhere we could build a team."
After a short spell elsewhere, the company moved into Mercury House, initially taking one of the centre's smaller offices before expanding into larger accommodation as the business took on an in-house designer, which helped remove bottlenecks in the design process and accelerate their growth.
Jason said: "We started in one of the small offices at the centre and, before long, we'd squeezed a designer into the corner and realised we needed more space.
"Mercury House gave us that flexibility, we had a chat with Sadie the building manager and moved into a larger space pretty quickly. We could simply continue to focus on growing the business rather than worrying about internet connections, security, facilities or any of the day-to-day challenges that come with running premises.
"You could just turn up and do your job."
Founded more than 40 years ago, Sarum Hardwood Structures has traditionally operated without a dedicated manufacturing facility. The move to Skellingthorpe represents the first factory in the company's history and will support its ambitions to bring more work into Lincolnshire, develop new capabilities and create additional jobs.
The business has already begun establishing new local supply chains, working with a local supplier in Gainsborough to bring activity previously undertaken overseas into the county.
Jason said: "This site is the next phase for us. There's a lot more responsibility, but there's also a lot more potential.
"We can see where we're heading now. We've got a strong reputation, we've got exciting plans for the future and we're looking at how we can create more opportunities and employment locally.
"It's exciting, it's a little nerve-wracking, but we're ready for that next step."
Cllr Paul Lock, Executive Councillor for Economy and Investment at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "It is fantastic to see Sarum Hardwood Structures take this exciting next step in their journey.
"Their success is exactly what our business centres are designed to achieve, providing businesses with the space, flexibility and support they need to establish themselves, grow and eventually move into premises of their own.
“It is sad to see the team leave Mercury House, but we're incredibly proud of the growth they have achieved and glad to see that they have stayed local and are investing in Lincolnshire.
"Their expansion will help to create new employment opportunities, strengthen local supply chains and retain investment within the county.
“We wish Jason, Simon and the entire team every success in their new home, and we look forward to providing the next ambitious small or emerging business a springboard to establish, grow and thrive at our business premises.”
Jason paid tribute to the role Mercury House played in the company's growth, describing the business centre as both professional and supportive.
He said: "It felt like a big family. I'd spent a long time working on my own, but at Mercury House I never felt on my own.
"There was always somebody to help you, somebody to ask for advice, and there was a real community among the businesses there.
"It gave us the professional environment we needed at the right point in our journey, and it was a fantastic bridge to help us get to where we are today."
Mercury House forms part of Lincolnshire County Council's business accommodation portfolio, providing flexible office space and support for businesses at different stages of their development.
The success of Sarum Hardwood Structures demonstrates how the right environment can help ambitious businesses establish themselves, grow, create jobs and invest in Lincolnshire's economy.
Find out more about the county council’s business centres on Business Lincolnshire’s property finder.