The Factory fires up in Palmerston North

The Factory fires up in Palmerston North

The Factory, Palmerston North’s best co-working community workspace, today announced that it will open its doors in late March 2015.

Co-working spaces are becoming more and more popular around the world, providing the growing community of independent and freelance workers shared workspaces in dynamic and interactive environments.

“The Factory will be home to creative individuals from a wide range of business interests,” says Dave Craig, Marketing Manager of BCC and The Factory. “There will be organisations with many employees but there will also be sole-traders and casual users who pay as they go to use hot desks. Just because someone works for themselves, doesn’t mean they need to work alone. A lot of good comes from interacting with co-workers and other creative people.”

The Factory is located in the historic Old Dairy Factory at the Fitzherbert Science Park.

The Old Dairy Factory is registered as a Category 1 historic place and was a place of innovation and development and home to amazing advances in dairy science. Dairy research conducted in the building includes the isolation of bacteriophages in New Zealand cheese starters in 1953 and, in 1950, the vacuum pasteurisation of cream.

During World War II the factory processed milk for the Palmerston North ‘Milk in Schools’ scheme and handled the production of milk fat for the armed forces.

The Old Dairy Factory became the Bio Commerce Centre in 2005 and the name The Factory was reclaimed in 2014. Opening right onto the Town Square on the FoodHQ Super Campus plan, The Factory is the first structure to be adapted for the Super Campus.

“We are in the process of renovating the facility to create a dynamic and interactive atmosphere,” says Craig. “The Factory plan includes a combination of open spaces for interaction and collaboration and private areas that allow more peace and quiet.

The Bio Commerce Centre was named with the idea that most of the work done here would be based in the biological sciences. But actually the innovation and work done here spans across many areas.“

Work on the building is scheduled to begin just after Christmas and be completed by the end of March.

BCC, a business development organisation that builds clever companies through its expertise in tech transfer, investment and start-ups will be The Factory’s anchor tenant. Other tenants already signed up include BioLumic, PolyBatics, Grasslands, Beta Solutions, Glassbox and Sugar Bag Communications.

Craig says that the Factory will have an entrepreneurial focus and offer facilities to meet various business and individual needs, including the option of renting dedicated four-walled offices or desks in a shared work area. There will also be funky spaces and breakout rooms, places to meet and talk, and places to get down to business. A café is also in the plans.

While everyone will have his or her own business to run, the new design of The Factory will create an interactive environment. Residents – either those who have walled offices or desks in the open-plan shared space – will have access to all areas of The Factory, including the public lounge, meeting rooms and the kitchen. Non-residents are welcome to enjoy the lounge area during opening hours and can hire meeting rooms or the lounge for events. Craig says that facilities will be free to use for groups who are fighting the good fight and building the innovation community.

“Renting space at the Factory will be more economical than many options in town,” says Craig. “The rates include the office or desk and also operational expenses, such as internet and utilities. For most office spaces those charges are add-ons and can really increase the monthly outgoings.”

Spaces are still available at The Factory but are filling up fast.

www.thefactorynz.co.nz

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