Omar Group has announced that production has commenced of a new range of premium holiday homes, in a new factory outside Ringwood in Dorset. Regal Holiday Homes (including certain assets and all the intellectual property), was acquired by the Group in 2020. The acquisition was significantly delayed by the pandemic, however this gave pause for thought, allowing the Group time to consider how they could maximise potential and re-launch the business.
The new five acre, 54,000sqft facility (Ferndown House), on the Woolsbridge Industrial Estate, near Ringwood in Dorset, will give the new Regal team the opportunity, using three production lines, to manufacture best-in-class premium holiday homes in an efficient and effective manner.
Omar Group reports that Regal Leisure Homes (as it will now formally be known), commenced production on the 26 July. It will be building a range of 12, 13 and 14 ft wide, premium single holiday homes. Some historic model names have been retained but the five new leisure home models are, in effect, all brand-new for 2022.
Models include the top-of-the-range Hartland Lodge and Artisan Lodge (also available in BS 3632 specification); both homes are 14ft wide and feature super king size beds, bathrooms, en-suites and soft furnishings sourced from Omar’s supply chain to ensure they are of lodge quality. The Hemsworth, a popular model from the original range, has been retained but will feature a new interior design for 2022. The Charmouth and the Baywater, two stunning all-new models, have also been added to complete the line-up.
The project to establish the new manufacturing facility, showground and hub for Omar Group businesses to operate from, was led by David Maguire who has 11.5 years with the Group. David has a background in operations, manufacturing, engineering, project management and supply chain, in a number of diverse industries including projects with Airbus and Alstom Transport.
An industry leading team have been assembled to lead Regal Leisure Homes. The new team includes Nigel Heslington, previously Managing Director for Regal Holiday Homes and BK Bluebird; Mike Clifford (Technical and Design), Mike also has a long heritage with Regal Holiday Homes and BK Bluebird, and Anysia Hopkins (Design Manager), who was previously with Regal Holiday Homes.
Nigel, Mike and Anysia will be joined by Darren Langston who will join the team before the end of the year as Business Development Director. Darren has extensive industry experience including Sales Director roles at Pathfinder and Sunseeker, and periods as a Sales Manager for Atlas and ABI.
Bringing fresh thinking to the manufacturing operation, Neil Rogers has been recruited as Director of Production. Neil has significant experience in Aerospace and the consumer goods industry and will be ably supported by Shaun Mercer as Production Manager. Shaun brings with him considerable production leadership experience with Regal Holiday Homes and BK Bluebird.
The new five acre, 54,000sqft site, is specially configured to manufacture premium holiday homes on three production lines, along with a showground which will showcase Regal, Wessex and Omar products. The site will also include customer meeting facilities, a boardroom and an Omar and Wessex customer specification room. The facility has ample space for the business to expand and is capable of producing over £50m worth of premium holiday homes per annum at trade prices.
The new facility, as well as being the Regal HQ and manufacturing site, will complete Omar Groups’ series of regional hubs which includes the Groups’ headquarters at Pleszko House in Brandon Suffolk, New Weldon House in Hull, and Randle House, Stourbridge in the West Midlands. The new facilities in Dorset will provide a base for UK Sundecks, Omar Refurbishment Services, Group aftersales, and the Omar sales team for the south of England.
Nigel Heslington, Founder of Regal stated: “The last two years have been extremely challenging. We had a deal agreed and in place to become part of Omar Group at the start of 2020, however, the global pandemic put this on hold. Our new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, with extensive office and customer facilities, all-new capital equipment and three efficient and effective production lines, will deliver our all-new range of products with better, repeatable product quality, in a manner that our old facility at Wareham never afforded us.”
For further information about Regal Leisure Homes and their new product range visit www.regallh.co.uk or for more information about Omar Group visit www.omar-group.co.uk.
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For further information please contact Clara Baillie-Lane by email cbaillie-lane@omar.co.uk.