An historic Dundee tea and coffee merchant is moving to new manufacturing premises after more than 65 years in its current home.
Private label packing group James Aimer Limited has acquired a 32,000 square foot unit at Dryburgh Industrial Estate and will move from its current base at Milnbank Road over the coming months.
Group managing director Eric Duncan said the switch was designed to secure the long-term future of the 134-year-old business.
Mr Duncan said the existing building at Milnbank Road – which is something of a landmark in Dundee’s West End due to the smell from coffee roasting – was not an ideal modern manufacturing environment.
The site is split over four levels and its layout means operations are not as efficient as they will be when production is consolidated on the new single level site at 7 Faraday Street.
Mr Duncan said the business was targeting strong growth and the new, optimised manufacturing operation at Dryburgh would allow output to double at least.
“The business is growing and has been growing for the past number of years,” Mr Duncan said.
“We are working in a building that extends over four-storeys and we also have a factory in Edward Street where we do our tea packing.
“What we needed was to be in a building on one level where we could maximisise our manufacturing and improve efficiency.
“I have spent the past 18 to 24 months exploring Dundee and other places to find a building that suits our needs.
“The new building needs quite a lot of TLC – we are in the process of doing a refurbishment – but everything is on the one level and what we will have will be ideal for a manufacturing company.”
In addition to the production space, Aimer’s will this week open its first coffee academy on the Dryburgh site.
The unit will offer workshops in the preparation of top quality coffee and will be used to help train the baristas of the future.
Mr Duncan said as a private label business – the vast majority of the group’s circa £5 million turnover comes from roasting and packing coffee for third party clients – Aimer’s operated quietly under the radar.
However, the business sustains a workforce of 24 – a figure that will grow when operations are fully transferred over to Dryburgh – and Mr Duncan said he would be surprised if there was anyone living in Dundee who had not drunk a cup of coffee or tea that had been processed by the company.
“Somebody summed it up to me quite well a few years ago,” Mr Duncan said.
“They said the business was Dundee’s answer to MI5 – they knew we were there but they didn’t know what happened in the building.
“We are primarily a private label operation that roasts and grounds coffee for the home market in the UK and Europe as well.
“Our coffee is imported from all of the coffee growing regions in the world.
“Less than 2% of our turnover is tied up in our own coffee brand.
“The tea brand is slightly more, but not much.
“We can’t really promote our James Aimer brand in the marketplace as it would compete with our client base.”
The group’s current headquarters has been placed on the market at a guide price in excess of £300,000.
Mr Duncan said the property – which extends to more than 18,000 square feet – has already prompted market interest.
The particulars come with an indicative layout by Jon Frullani Architects for a residential scheme, although the building may lend itself to other uses.
ghuband@thecourier.co.uk