A pump manufacturer has moved out of its old home to a much bigger facility in another Suffolk town.

Pioneer Pump - which is a division of US-based Franklin Electric - has moved from a 10,000sq ft plant in Stowmarket to a 66,000sq ft unit in Hadleigh.

Its new home was previously a base for fuel storage tank manufacturer Cookson and Zinn.

The new facility comprises two modern 33,000sq ft warehouse units which will boost the business's operational efficiency and support its future growth ambitions.

The site needed extensive refurbishment, said the company, and now includes energy-efficient features such as LED motion-activated lighting and infrared heating, with plans to install solar panels to further reduce energy consumption.

Inside the new Pioneer Pump facility in Hadleigh (Image: Dale Reynolds) “Our new facility has transformed how we operate,” said Pioneer Pump managing director Hugh Langley.

“In the old yard, inefficiencies were common, such as retrieving a part from the back of the store could take up to an hour.

"Now, with a modern warehouse, accessibility and production facility, we’ve significantly improved our processes, which will greatly benefit our speed of production and benefits our customers.

"We have only developed one warehouse so far, and have big plans for growth over the next five years which will see us in an even stronger position."

The company plans to develop a Pump School training and education area for customers where they can learn about maintenance and repair and energy-saving designs. 

“Performance through innovation has always been our ethos,” said Mr Langley.

“With this new facility, the future is looking brighter than ever.”

Pioneer Pump was founded in Oregon in 1998 in Canby and is now a global player in water movement solutions, with divisions in Australia, South Africa, and the UK.

It began its UK operations in 2002 from a farmer’s shed near Stowmarket, and has since evolved into a major player within the UK and Europe.

In 2012, it launched pump rental company Pioneer Pump Solutions which now operates six depots across England and Wales with further expansion planned into Scotland and Ireland.

Its diesel and electric-powered pumps are used across industries such as the mining, quarries, industrial and marine sectors.

Pioneer Pump's new home in Hadleigh (Image: Pioneer Pump) Pioneer Pump boss Hugh Langley (Image: Pioneer Pump)