Norwich window firm Ambass-A-Door and sister company Sprowston Joinery have struggled to find suitable temporary premises following a devastating fire in the summer that severely damaged the building and some production machinery.
The business is currently working out of a small building and using some machines at local companies that have lent the use of equipment. Owner David Lomax is hoping to get into new buildings on the existing site at Rackheath Industrial Estate as soon as possible.
Initially, he had hoped to lease temporary premises and rent machinery. “It’s going slowly. Some landlords want a three or five-year lease, or the building is too small, or there is not enough power,” he said.
Additional delay has been caused by insurance companies settling liability for the damage. The blaze was caused by burning scrubland ignited by a domestic garden incinerator.
About 80% of the Ambass-A-Door building was affected, half of the machinery and a couple of hundred thousand pounds worth of stock destroyed.
“We have been cleaning up the machinery. Some is salvageable, but some is completely useless, especially the tooling. We need to get back into a new building and I think that could be another six months,” Mr Lomax said.
