Lush expands presence at Fleets Corner for circular recycling hub

The International business of Federated Hermes has announced that popular cosmetics brand, Lush, is set to expand its existing logistics accommodation at Fleets Corner Business Park to house its eco-friendly ‘Greenhub’ circular recycling site in an expansive new space.

Lush has selected Fleets Corner’s newly redeveloped 40,128 sq ft Unit M warehouse to relocate the brand’s unique ‘Greenhub’ from nearby Hamworthy. The prime unit is over three times the size of Lush’s previous recycling hub location and will operate alongside the brand’s existing four industrial units at Fleets Corner. 

Set to launch at Unit M in late 2021, Lush’s ‘Greenhub’ is the only one of its kind, playing a key role in the brand’s sustainability initiatives and circular ‘Bring it Back’ scheme as unrolled across the UK and Ireland this year. As overseen by the brand’s Earthcare team, ‘Bring it Back’ allows customers to bring back any full-sized Lush plastic packaging to any of its 104 stores for a 50p credit, before it is sent to the ‘Greenhub’ to be processed and remoulded into new black Lush pots or industry feedstock material. 

The ‘Greenhub’ at Fleets Corner will also be home to Lush’s repairs and maintenance teams and the shop furniture team, as part of the company’s zero-waste initiatives. 

The signing signals a renewed commitment from Lush to Fleets Corner as the well positioned and high-quality headquarters for its logistics and manufacturing, amongst the business park’s community of high-profile occupiers including Happy Homewares and Selco.  

Stephen Ellis, Senior Investment Manager, International Business of Federated Hermes, commented on the signing:“We have invested significantly in Fleets Corner to ensure it is a next-generation business park, which has included the unveiling of Unit M as one of the best warehousing sites in the region. It is brilliant to facilitate the growth of Lush, and house its pioneering sustainable innovation within our hybrid offering. This signing not only highlights the calibre of Fleets Corner’s facilities and environment, but also shows the ways in which the business park can be flexible to deliver on the needs of both new and existing occupiers.”

Natalia Davies, Environmental Officer at Lush Manufacturing, added:“The relocation and upsizing of our Greenhub enables us to accommodate the commitment we have made to our customers with our new 'Bring it Back' scheme. The space allows us to have full control and transparency in dealing with our own waste from our manufacturing processes. 

Our aim is to evolve from being a recycling hub to become a circular hub using the guiding principles of Zero Waste & Circular Economy. Our vision is to create no waste and use the right systems that have no impact on our planet. Fleets Corner is rapidly becoming an ideal home for many of our large departments. The collaboration between Fleets Estate and Lush will for sure support us in our mission to "Leave The World Lusher Than We Found It, with innovation and environmentally friendly practices and alternatives to our buildings."

The announcement follows the news that the UK’s first budget hotel chain, Travelodge, has launched its latest hotel at Fleets Corner Business Park in Dorset, adding to its 570 strong portfolio across the UK, Ireland and Spain.