The Factory is an interactive shared workspace for creative individuals. It’s where entrepreneurs rub shoulders with investors and business people over coffee and a shared focus. It’s the home of BCC and lots of other cool companies.
The Old Dairy Factory
The Old Dairy Factory – that’s the building’s historic name – was a place of innovation and development. Amazing advances in dairy science came from inside the building and that kind of innovative work continues there today.
Dairy research conducted in the building includes the isolation of bacteriophages in New Zealand cheese starters in 1953 and, in 1950, the vacuum pasteurisation of cream.
During World War II the factory processed milk for the Palmerston North ‘Milk in Schools’ scheme and handled the production of milk fat for the armed forces.
The Old Dairy Factory became the Bio Commerce Centre in 2005 and the name The Factory was reclaimed in 2014.
The Old Dairy Factory is registered as a Category 1 historic place. In 1992 a major renovation programme won a New Zealand Institute of Architecture award. The award cited the sympathetic renovation, enabling its important cultural heritage values to be protected into the future.
After another round of renovations in early 2015, the environment of innovation and collaboration are even stronger.
The New Factory
The renovation has created a dynamic and interactive atmosphere. It’s promoting an entrepreneurial focus and there are facilities to meet different business and individual needs. Tenants have the option of renting dedicated four-walled offices or desks in a shared work area. There are funky spaces, breakout rooms, places to meet and talk, places to get down to business and a café.
The Factory is the first structure to be adapted for the FoodHQ Super Campus and opens right onto the Town Square on the plan.
Co-working spaces are becoming more and more popular around the world and that’s what’s being created at the Factory. There is a lot of good that comes from interacting with co-workers and other creative people.
The Factory has a combination of open spaces for interaction and collaboration and private areas for when you need a bit more peace and quiet.
If you rent a desk at the Factory, you never know who might be sitting beside you; it could be your next client or someone who has the solution to your biggest problem.
While everyone at the Factory has his or her own business to run, the design creates an interactive environment. Residents – either those who have walled offices or desks in the open-plan shared space – have access to all areas of The Factory, including the public lounge, meeting rooms and the kitchen. Non-residents are welcome to enjoy the lounge area during opening hours and can hire meeting rooms or the lounge for events.
Renting space at the Factory is more economical than many options in town. The rates include the office or desk and also operational expenses – such as internet and utilities. For most office spaces those charges are add-ons and can really increase the monthly outgoings.
For more information or to get in touch, visit www.thefactorynz.co.nz or contact .