AESSEAL Global Technology Centre - Factory for the Future

The Brief

The success of AESSEAL is based on its ability to retain great staff while innovating and focusing on excellence in all that it does. As such, providing a high-quality building focused on the ‘Future’ and wellbeing of its employees was an important element of the brief.

It was also a key client aspiration to remove the need for any gas heating and the associated carbon.

The latest development for AESSEAL links to their existing facility to develop the company’s global headquarters and to create a Factory for the Future designed as a global showcase for sustainable manufacturing.

The Design

The project expands the original facility by approximately 50%, adding a 4,500 sq.m single-story machine shop equipped with state-of-the-art robotic machines, alongside 120 sq.m of office space. This machine shop features a fully glazed façade that showcases AESSEAL’s advanced manufacturing capabilities, while a new two-storey glazed structure connects the facility to the existing building and serves as a central, single entrance to the integrated complex.

Sustainability, energy efficiency and inclusive design principles are central to the building’s design, with ergonomic workspaces, abundant natural light, and automated climate control for user comfort. A 2-metre-wide roof light lantern spans the machine shop, maximising daylight, while side-mounted louvres provide ventilation. Integrated with a sophisticated Building Management System (BMS), these louvres and a series of vertical slot windows automatically adjust to let in fresh air and expel warm air through the lantern.

The new glass link structure, designed as a central entry point, connects the old and new elements with a sense of transparency and arrival. Within this space, the reception area reflects the company’s engineering precision, with wall cladding that highlights illuminated blueprints of AESSEAL products, and a sculptural reception desk subtly echoing the cylindrical form of a seal.

Surrounding the 10-acre site is the ‘Tree Walk,’ an educational and environmental resource that occupies land once filled with steel slag. This unique space includes a wetlands area and habitats for bees, hedgehogs, and other wildlife, providing employees with a tranquil area for breaks and emphasising the company’s dedication to social and environmental sustainability.

The Outcome

The new building reflects AESSEAL’s commitment to creating quality local jobs and ensuring a sustainable future for both the company and the surrounding community. The building is entirely heated by electricity powered by photovoltaics. This has contributed to AESSEAL as a business achieving net zero carbon.

Blending natural and industrial innovation, AESSEAL Factory for the Future exemplifies a pioneering approach to sustainable industrial design.