Drilling for Calidus future

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Contractors building a £2.9 million factory development in Redruth have drilled a borehole almost 600 feet (180 metres) into the ground to cater for a high-tech Cornish engineering company moving to the site.

(l-r): Robert Churchill from Priority Sites with Calidus business development manager Kenneth Rosén and Calidus managing director Nigel Halladay, with the drilling equipment being used to sink a 600-foot borehole at Treleigh in Redruth

The borehole, which is around six inches in diameter, will be used by Calidus Engineering for systems testing.

The company specialises in ‘downhole’ and subsea technology for the oil, gas and geothermal industries and requires hostile conditions deep underground to put its equipment through its paces.

Calidus is relocating from five separate sites in Falmouth and Redruth to new units being developed by Priority Sites on the Treleigh Industrial Estate in Redruth. Calidus has 26 staff and intends to double this in three years.

The £1.4 million move has been part-funded with £450k from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Convergence programme and will more than double the company’s floor space.

Calidus managing director Nigel Halladay said: “We’ll be able to test a range of tools in-house rather than use boreholes elsewhere so it will make a tremendous difference to our business. And because it’s inside we think this facility is probably unique in the UK.”

Robert Churchill, senior project manager from Priority Sites, added: “Calidus had a unique requirement and we’re delighted that the borehole drilling has gone so well. We’re on course to complete the units in May next year ready for them to move in June, and the remaining units on site are already under offer.”

Priority Sites is building four new units in two separate buildings at Treleigh totalling 2,806 sq metres. Calidus has bought two attached units totalling 1,580 sq metres. The remaining space is under offer to another company.