VALVES and fittings company Crane, which closed its manufacturing operation in Ipswich earlier this year with the loss of around 200 jobs, has signed a deal to relocate its remaining presence in the town.

VALVES and fittings company Crane, which closed its manufacturing operation in Ipswich earlier this year with the loss of around 200 jobs, has signed a deal to relocate its remaining presence in the town.

Crane plans to vacate its existing site off Nacton Road, where it has been based since 1921, and move to a new 20,000 sq ft unit at the Masterlord Office Village on the nearby Ransomes Europark estate.

The new complex, also including a 2,500 sq ft ancillary laboratory and test facility, is now being fitted out to Crane's specification and is expected to be completed by Christmas.

Christopher Dawson, joint owner of Masterlord Estates, the developer of the 6.5 acre office village complex, welcomed the completion of such a substantial letting against the backdrop of the credit crunch.

“Development is about timing and on this occasion we simply got it right,” he said. “We were fortunate to have the stock available to meet this urgent enquiry and to have the resources on site to carry out a complete internal fit out to the clients exacting specification within the necessary timescale.”

He added: “Our policy is to have stock available to be able to provide modern functional offices at affordable prices on flexible terms that suit modern business practices.”

Crane announced in January that it had sold the Nacton Road site for redevelopment and planned to transfer all manufacturing work away from Ipswich, either to China or to its other main UK site at Hitchin in Hertfordshire.

However, it also said at the time that it planned to retain an administrative presence elsewhere in the town, and the Masterlord deal means the move its likely take place before the end of this year.