Cardiff chimney equipment specialist expands into Gwaelod y Garth industrial estate

Local chimney and boiler equipment specialist The Flue and Chimney Warehouse Ltd has moved to larger industrial premises on the Gwaelod y Garth Industrial Estate in north Cardiff.

After 10 years in 2,000 sq ft premises nearby, the company has signed a 10 year lease on the 11,000 sq ft Unit 3 at an annual rental of £66,000.  The landlord was represented in the transaction by the Cardiff office of global property consultant Knight Frank.

The company provides a trade-only one stop shop for flue, chimney, fireplace, stove and lead products. Owner Jim Portsmouth said: “The move is a big step up which gives us capacity to expand over future years, as well as enabling me to bring my other company – Green Heat Wales – to the same location.

“This company provides solar panels, air source heat pumps, and biomass heaters and we will also create a fuel depot selling logs for woodburning stove owners in the area.”

Jim Portsmouth had been looking to expand in the area for some time but without success owing to lack of availability, until the opportunity to move into the former Post Office Sorting building on the Gwaelod y Garth industrial estate arose.

Emily Wilson from Knight Frank’s Industrial & Logistics team in Cardiff, said: “The industrial estate comprises six industrial and warehouse units adjacent to the A470, very close to Junction 32 of the M4 Motorway. They are very popular because of their excellent location and as a result the estate is now fully let.”

Jim Portsmouth has built a trade counter and refurbishment workshop in the industrial unit, added a dust extraction system and new office, and plans to install solar panels to the roof.  “We aim to launch our flue and chimney trade counter on April 1 and will open the woodburner and logs business in July,” he said.