Access to Wheelock back to normal

The road access to all facilities in Wheelock has returned to normal now that United Utilities have repaired the broken sewer and hole in the main road.

The sign at Wheelock roundabout is confusing, access to most of Wheelock is best from the Sandbach end of Crewe Road.

Access to Zan Industrial Park, HJ Lea Pet Superstore and all the shops in Wheelock is best via Hind Heath Road or Crewe Road via the Glasshouse roundabout. The road is blocked near Christ Church Wheelock during the emergency road/sewer repairs.

Matchbook Media

Example postcards from Matchbook Media.

As the cards say, more details at www.matchbookmedia.co.uk

Hidden Treasurez on Television

Hidden Treasures based in Unit 7A at Zan Industrial Park have been visited again by the TV production company who make Antiques Roadtrip and Celebrity Antiques Roadtrip.  The programs have been shown on BBC2 this Spring having been recorded last Summer.  The  experts included Charlie Ross, Charles Hanson and Celebrity Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.  Guess who bought the green artificial grass covered chaise-lounge?

Antiques Road Trip at Zan Industrial Park

The Antiques Road Trip visited the Hidden Treasurez units at Zan Industrial Park in Wheelock, Sandbach.  The "new" expert Christina Trevanian came looking for unusual items.

The Landlord was called in to provide "expert" history on one of the items selected.
Due to be screened in August - September 2013.

Small Business Rates Relief

Chancellor George Osborne in his Autumn statement has extended the Business Rates Relief scheme for a further 12 months up to April 2014.  This means that if you are a tenant at Zan Industrial Park and you register with Cheshire East Council as a small business you will not be charged for Business rates until April 2014 at the earliest.
The good news is that all the available units at Zan Industrial Park have rateable values that come within the scheme limits.  So if you become a tenant at Zan Industrial Park you wont need to pay business rates until April 2014.
Available units in Sandbach can be seen here

Hidden Treasurez Easter launch at Zan Industrial Park

Hidden Treasurez
A large range of new and pre owned furniture, pottery, collectibles, giftware and toys.  Can be
purchased online or at the warehouse and showroom in Sandbach at the Zan Industrial Park, open Easter Weekend (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) 10am - 4pm.
treasurez.co.uk

Zan Clock for St Patrick's Day

Green lights for St Patrick's Day / Night 2011

An old advertising sign used by Zan Limited at exhibitions and shows.  It dates back to the time when Zan was the trade name used by the original Hovey & Lowther company.  Currently on display near the old hoist in the Zan Mill.

Another old sign, this time for the subsidiary company of heating engineers Hopol Limited.  The sign was probably designed to be displayed on building sites where Hopol was the heating contractor.

Zan Industrial Park in 1925

This is one of the earliest photographs in the Zan archives. It shows the mill building with the old window frames together with two boarded up windows, before the Zan Clock was installed. The hand powered petrol pump is dispensing Pratt's Petroleum. The mill chimney is still at full height, it was later lowered twice to its current size. The three chimneys to the right in the distance belong to one of the old Wheelock salt works alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal - the area is now known as the Salties.

Have you received an unexpected payment from ZAN in your bank account?

Unless you are a supplier or shareholder of Zan Limited you will not receive payment from Zan Limited by direct payment into your bank.

In the past solicitors, accountants and executors have found payments on client bank statements marked as payments from ZAN—this will not be from Zan Limited, but may be from Zurich Annuities who sometimes provide a payment designation of ZAN—this is the more likely source of the payment.

Christmas lights for the Zan Clock

The Christmas lights have been switched on behind the Zan Clock in Wheelock on The Mill at Zan Industrial Park.

Zan Limited 90 Years Old

Zan Limited became a limited company 90 years ago on the 20th August 1919. It was originally known as Hovey and Lowther when the two brothers Mr RB Hovey and Mr EL Hovey bought the building then known as Wheelock Mills running a chemicals business with Mr Lowther.

The Laboratory.

The Zan Clock

The Zan works clock was rescued from the demolition of the Brunner Mond factory in Malkins Bank and installed in Wheelock in around 1932. The Brunner Mond factory was situated about half a mile upstream on the Trent and Mersey Canal, manufacturing various bulk chemicals from the locally sourced brine, materials such as limestone and coal were brought in by narrowboats on the canal and the North Staffs Railway line which ran through the site.

The clock face replaced one of the original window openings in the top floor of the mill building.


The clock mechanism requires winding up each week, a task that has been undertaken for over 75 years without fail. The clock will run for at least 8 days before the weight hits the floor in the room below!

The link between the mechanism and the fingers on the outside. Note the counterbalance to the fingers.

The clock is maintained by J.B. Joyce from Whitchurch Shropshire, an engineer visits each year to oil and check the mechanism. J.B. Joyce are part of the same group that maintain Big Ben.

Zan Industrial Park.
ZAN Limited, Crewe Road, Wheelock, Sandbach, Cheshire, CW11 4QH
Zan Limited owns and manages the Zan Industrial Park, renting out Light Industrial Workshops, Storage and Office Units. It is ideal for small and start-up companies. There are excellent transport links.
For further information, contact Richard Hovey (01270) 762302, email richard.hovey@zan-ltd.co.uk