ESR Australia signs BWX as anchor tenant at ESR Clayton Business Hub

3 March 2021

ESR Australia has secured ASX-listed BWX Limited as the anchor tenant at ESR Clayton Business Hub in Victoria with a 10-year lease commencing in late 2021.

BWX is an Australian manufacturer of natural wellness and beauty products with global distribution channels. The Australian natural beauty manufacturer is responsible for leading brands including Sukin, Nourished Life, Andalou Naturals, and Mineral Fusion.

Under the agreement, BWX has committed to lease approximately 18,000 sqm of lettable area in a bespoke facility to be developed on the site, accounting for approximately 46 per cent of the total lettable area. ESR Australia will develop approximately 21,000 sqm of additional premium office/warehouse space on the balance of the site, with flexibility to accommodate customers ranging in size from 2,000 sqm to 18,000 sqm.

Phil Pearce, CEO of ESR Australia, said, “We’re pleased to attract a tenant of the calibre of BWX to this premium estate and look forward to welcoming them to their custom-built facility this year. This pre-commitment by BWX is an endorsement of the product and service ESR Australia provides to our customers. It demonstrates our team’s ability to work closely with customers to develop bespoke facilities and is a testament to our customer-centric approach. We look forward to bringing more high-quality occupiers to this estate in the near future.”

Rory Gration, Group Chief Operating Officer of BWX, said, “We are excited to be partnering with ESR Australia on the development of our new operations facility, providing the opportunity for us to significantly enhance our manufacturing capabilities. The purpose-built facility will allow us to bring our manufacturing facilities and support office all under one roof, while at the same time significantly increase our capacity, invest in new R&D capability, and accelerate bringing new natural beauty products to market, faster.”

ESR Australia acquired the 6.4 ha site in December 2019 on which several outdated manufacturing plants were located. The site has since been demolished and cleared, ready for construction of a state-of-the-art estate that will create a new benchmark in the current market for a high-quality business hub featuring enhanced facades, lush landscaping, and deck carparking.

On completion, ESR Clayton Business Hub will provide a premium business park for customers, targeting a 5 Star Green Star rating. The development benefits from its prime location within the premier business park precinct of Monash National Employment Cluster, an area with the highest concentration of jobs outside the Melbourne CBD and slated by the Victorian Government for strategic infrastructure investment. This strategic infill site is ideal for last mile logistics, R&D, high-tech, and medical-related industries due to its proximity to the large population of south east Melbourne. Centrally positioned at 45-49 McNaughton Road, ESR Clayton Business Hub has excellent connectivity to key arterial roads and is within proximity of major institutions including Monash University and Monash Medical Centre.

ESR Clayton Business Hub is due for completion by Q4 2021.