New HQ will help firm to expand

Honeyman Associates plans to build its new HQ on the town's Harmire Enterprise Park, and is in negotiations with regional development agency One NorthEast over the availability of land.

Honeyman Associates was founded a decade ago by chairman Trevor Honeyman.

It provides specialist consulting and contracting services to global players in the pharmaceutical industry.

It has two separate trading divisions with a combined turnover of more than £2m.

Honeyman Water Limited provides a complete service for the design, commissioning, installation, validation, testing and maintenance of high purity water and clean steam systems.

The second division, Honeyman Sterilisation Limited provides a similar comprehensive service for sterilisation processes within large pharmaceutical firms.

The new headquarters will provide centralised facilities for the 27 head office staff, and will allow room for further expansion of the business's two divisions.

Honeyman's present prem-ises on the Harmire Enterprise Park, not far from the planned new headquarters building, are likely to be put on the market as a dedicated analytical laboratory for companies looking to expand into the field.

Honeyman recently celebrated its tenth year in business by patenting its latest technological advance.

HydroGienic is a piping delivery system for high purity fluids which has the potential to become an industry standard for the global pharmaceutical industry.

It should also open up new markets for Honeyman's specialist expertise in a range of industries, from food and beverage production to the semiconductor, dairy and brewing industries.

Mr Honeyman said: "We have enjoyed a decade of success and expansion in Barnard Castle. We are now confident that we can continue our growth and, through innovations like HydroGienic, we hope to diversify into new markets for our products. In realising these ambitions, we hope to bring high quality employment and prestige to the town."