ERA has officially opened its new, purpose-built facility on the i54 business park. The 135,625ft² headquarters, which effectively combines three existing facilities in the West Midlands, was opened by David Huse OBE, chairman of the Neighbourhood Watch, and has been heralded by ERA as the ‘perfect platform for future success’ in the design, development, manufacture and distribution of its home security products.
Darren Waters, CEO at ERA, said: “Our brand-new home is a great fit with our long-term business strategy and will help to differentiate our brand, both as an innovative supplier and as a responsible employer.
“The new site is home to our state-of-the-art research and product development hub, manufacturing and warehousing, as well as test and training facilities. In addition, our bespoke Customer Suite showcases the entire ERA Total Security portfolio, including our extensive range of trusted hardware as well as our cutting edge smart home security solutions.”
With regards to its new warehouse, the impressive facility currently houses £9m of stock and around 6,500 parts, but has also been constructed in order to accommodate additional capacity in the future – not just from new product development and acquisitions, but also with a view to potentially reshoring product manufacturing from China and the Far East.
The warehouse also features a state of the art management system, a 40-strong logistics team, specialist loading bay systems, a more efficient set up for the manufacture of multi point locks and the ability for next day delivery if orders are received by 3pm.
ERA’s new home also includes a custom built UKAS accredited test laboratory, which the company claims is one of the best equipped of its type in the country, and which is designed to offer enhanced security, durability and weather resistance testing, including tests in accordance with PAS24 and BS6375. This is accompanied by both an innovation centre, which is said to be currently managing over 115 new product developments and which includes a dedicated area for brainstorming and concept development, and a training centre that has been set up to offer both practical and theoretical instruction across ERA’s entire product portfolio,
Aside from the money spent on technology, warehousing and testing, perhaps the most remarkable aspect of ERA’s new facility is the considerable investment that it has made for its employees.
With 150 staff on site, staff are actively encouraged to ‘take a break’ to promote health and well-being, have access to flexible work stations, ‘break out’ areas, personal working pods and computer facilities to internet access in lunch breaks.
With a view that its people ‘are the key to making the business successful’, ERA’s new facilities also include a canteen and dedicated chef, and there is an ‘all-inclusive’ policy that is designed to allow office staff and warehouse employees to socialise during down time.
