Fujifilm has broken ground on its new UK headquarters just 250 metres from its current location on St Martins Way, Bedford, where company operations have been located since 1983. The innovation and technology company’s UK arm, which employs 300 staff directly from its Bedfordshire headquarters, is set to move into its new premises on Cardington Road, Bedford, in summer 2022.
Since first moving its UK logistics operations to Bedford almost 40 years ago, Fujifilm has diversified its products and services by leveraging its imaging and information technology to become a global presence known for innovation not only in photography, but increasingly in healthcare – with Fujifilm playing a key role in helping the UK fight COVID-19 with the manufacture of vaccines, supply of therapies and key front-line and community diagnostic products.
The new £8 million headquarters, built in partnership with leading real estate investor and developer Graftongate, will stand at three stories tall, providing almost 30,000 sq ft for office space and dedicated workshop and exhibition areas.
Known as Fujifilm House, the new building’s design holds Fujifilm’s green policies and community values at its heart. The scheme will achieve BREEAM ‘excellent’ and incorporate solar panels, rainwater collection systems and biodiverse landscaping design working in partnership with the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, all contributing to the building’s sustainable credentials.
Tying together Fujifilm’s long-standing presence in Bedford and the company’s Japanese heritage, the building’s exterior aims to integrate design elements from Japan – such as shoji screens and louvers – as well as Bedford’s history of lacemaking, with intricate patterns incorporated into its design.
Building works are now underway with developer Graftongate, a company which shares a passion for greener initiatives and working collaboratively with the local community. Fujifilm has signed a 10-year lease on the premises.
The Fujifilm story is one of transformation and reinvention, and our new headquarters will reflect the next step of this journey, providing a site fit for our future in the UK. As a company, Fujifilm has evolved far beyond our iconic little green box of photographic film to now play a pivotal part in the healthcare and life sciences industries – something we have harnessed to support efforts against COVID-19 here in the UK and around the world.
Fujifilm House will be home to our skilled colleagues in and around Bedford, bringing our various teams – from photography and large format printing to healthcare and diagnostics – under one roof as they work to advance culture, science, technology and industry, contributing to a better and healthier world together.
It was my privilege to be a part of the ground-breaking ceremony to mark the commencement of development for Fujifilm’s new UK national headquarters building. Fujifilm has called Bedford Borough home for nearly 40 years and the investment and commitment to this new facility will retain and create high value jobs in the borough.
“The development at this gateway site is a strong sign of confidence in Bedford as a business location and I look forward to continuing to work with Fujifilm and delivering more business investment from current and new businesses into the borough. The emerging Oxford to Cambridge Arc vision, and using high value business examples such as Fujifilm to demonstrate sector strength in the borough, will enable us to encourage more high value businesses to invest in Bedford Borough.
Graftongate is excited to work with Fujifilm, such a world-renowned company which has played a major role in the fight against COVID-19. Fujifilm House will unify the company’s 38-year presence in Bedford and its impressive sustainability credentials will contribute to the long standing investment value, creating a net benefit to the wider economic and environmental community.
Christopher Waud acted for Fujifilm and Savills acted for Graftongate on the leasing and planning.
For further information, please contact Rhiannon Berriman, Corporate Communications Executive
Email: rhiannon.berriman@fujifilm.com
Tel: +44 (0)1234 572804
Photo credits, left to right:
Image 1: Duncan Edgar, Fujifilm UK; Jaspreet Parmar, Fujifilm UK; Richard Creighton, Fujifilm UK; Nicola Brims, Fujifilm UK; Yoshitaka Nakamura, Fujifilm UK; Patrick Lyons, Acting Manager for Economic Growth & Development, Bedford Borough Council; Dave Hodgson, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough; Craig Austin, Director of Environment, Bedford Borough Council; Charles Whitbread, Representative of Southill Estate; Dave Kirton, Fujifilm UK; Colin Beasley, Principal, Graftongate; Paul Sloan, Fujifilm UK
Image 2: Richard Creighton, Fujifilm UK; Nicola Brims, Fujifilm UK; Yoshitaka Nakamura, Fujifilm UK; Patrick Lyons, Acting Manager for Economic Growth & Development, Bedford Borough Council; Dave Hodgson, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough; Craig Austin, Director of Environment, Bedford Borough Council
Image 3: Duncan Edgar, Fujifilm UK; Dave Hodgson, Elected Mayor of Bedford Borough; Yoshitaka Nakamura, Fujifilm UK