The former Hewlett Packard R&D facility in Whitehouse Road, Ipswich, has been sold to a local company.

Savills, acting on behalf of Landmark Properties, has sold the vacant freehold of 53-65 Whitehouse Road to Perrin Group Holdings Limited.

The property extends 110,000 sq ft (10,219 sq m) and sits on a site in excess of five acres (two hectares).

The sale is the largest seen in Ipswich over a decade in terms of square footage.

Perrin Group plans to use the site to house two of its subsidiary companies, Hemisphere Freight Services, which is a well-established international logistics provider, and Hawk Express, which provides domestic distribution across the UK.

Hemisphere and Hawk previously operated from three locations in Ipswich and Felixstowe and this deal will see Perrin Group consolidate all of the local activity and operate from under one roof.

Chris Moody, director of business space at Savills Ipswich, said: “As the biggest industrial freehold sale seen in Ipswich in over a decade, not only is this a significant deal for the area, it also demonstrates the attraction of Whitehouse Road as a commercial hub and prime location for business, benefiting from easy access to the A14 corridor”.

Andy Perrin, managing director and owner of Perrin Group, said: “As a privately owned Independent Company, this is a significant investment in a site which affords us not only an opportunity to consolidate our local operations, but more importantly to continue the expansion of our International & Domestic Services. In showing commitment to Ipswich and as a significant employer in the local area, the Perrin Group’s expansion will lead to further employment opportunities in the local area.”

The group employs around 120 people including sites at Heathrow, the North West and Belfast, and with four people employed in China.

Andy Perrin added: “We have continued to grow, year on year, over 25 years. Even in the last five years, when it has been tough, we have grown - and 20% in the last two years.”

New signs have now gone up at the group headquarters.