Drallim move back to Millwood House after the devastating fire of February 2019
13 April 2021On the 19th October 2020, Drallim Industries Limited completed their move back to Millwood House after the devastating fire in February 2019.
Having lost everything inside the building, the company set about temporarily relocating their business units in the local area where available and maintaining as much day-to-day operations as was possible whilst a more permanent solution was found.
By the 1st April 2019 they had refurbished and prepared some rented industrial-zoned accommodation, enabling them to resume the manufacturing that had been placed on hold, and they were ready to move in.
Work started at the Millwood House location to clear the site, removing everything right down to the concrete base, and plans for a new building were being made. A team of local builders and contractors were appointed and work began to prepare the site, Sunninghill Construction won the contract to rebuild Millwood House.
As the weather improved into the new year, work began on building the new factory. Groundworks were completed, foundations were prepared, steel framework went up and progress was rapid. Little did they know what was going to happen next…
In May 2020, as the fallout from COVID-19 continued and lockdown closed many smaller sites, suddenly they found themselves one of the few open building sites in the county and progress began to pick up pace again, and after a few inevitable delays due to COVID, the building was ready and the keys were handed over near the end of September 2020. During the week of the 12 October they were able to move back in, lock stock and barrel, with van loads of all the newly purchased manufacturing equipment and office furniture, with the building ready for staff and manufacturing on the 19th October.
What an amazing turn-around. They are so grateful to all those who helped them through these hard times, and the outstanding efforts of all the management and staff, without whom none of this would have been possible.
In the words of Dave Mooney the managing director of Drallim: “Whilst the Drury Lane fire has been a devastating blow to Drallim, our recovery has been a quite remarkable experience! It has often been frustrating, exhausting and almost overwhelming – but I think many of us have enjoyed the challenge, and most of all the great spirit of camaraderie within the company.
“Our Customers are the other great heroes as they tolerated our long delays and stuck with us until we have been able to get back into production for all of our products. We even found the time and energy to win new business from the likes of Hong Kong Electric and were awarded a 10-year MoD contract, showing immense confidence in us all"