Tony Blair Officially Opens UpRight's U.K. Headquarters

Enlarge Image Alongside UpRight CEO Darren Kell (left), PM Tony Blair takes the controls of an UpRight MX19 micro scissor lift.

February 16, 2007 • U.K.'s Prime Minister Tony Blair officially opened Vigo Centre, the new headquarters of The Tanfield Group Plc, parent company of UpRight. Commemorating the event, PM Blair took to the controls of an UpRight MX19 micro-scissor lift to unveil a plaque that marked the occasion.

"This unique company is a prime example of UK manufacturing innovation at its best,” Blair said. “In just three years, Tanfield has grown from a small enterprise with a good idea into a thriving global manufacturer, with its heart in the northeast of England." He later added that UpRight will be a company that will “really make its presence felt not just in the Northeast but actually throughout the world.”

Tanfield acquired UpRight in June 2006, and since then, UpRight has increased output five-fold while maintaining a record order intake. The immediate leap in sales for UpRight prompted the company to look for larger premises last year. In late 2006 the company moved into its new headquarters, the 250,000-square-foot Vigo Centre in Washington, Tyne & Wear. UpRight has since created over 100 new jobs at this location, and it plans to have about 300 employees in the next three years.