Finsa Opens £20m Birkenhead Logistics HQ at Wirral Waters 2026

Key Points

• Finsa UK has opened the doors on its new £20 million logistics hub in Birkenhead at Grandidges Quay, Wirral Waters.
• The 170,000 sq ft property features 158,904 sq ft of warehousing and 5,000 sq ft of timber framed offices.
• Cllr Paula Basnett, leader of Wirral Council, hailed the investment as recognition of Wirral and the Freeport.
• Raquel Carrillo, managing director at Finsa UK, highlighted that the project forms the base of growth for many years to come.
• The development will ensure the retention of up to 50 direct and indirect local jobs, with creation of further positions over five years.
• A new £2 million dockside crane will boost the efficiency of cargo handling, which is expected to grow by 23% until 2031.
• Glencar constructed the scheme for site owner Peel Ports Group, completing the project in May 2026.
• Finsa UK is enjoying UK Freeport initiatives such as business rates exemption and various tax benefits.

Birkenhead (Liverpool standard) September 24, 2026 – Finsa UK has officially opened a new £20 million logistics headquarters at Grandidges Quay in the Wirral Waters Freeport, consolidating its port and distribution operations in Birkenhead and signalling long-term commitment to the Liverpool City Region.

The facility, which reached practical completion in May 2026, comprises 158,904 sq ft of high-specification warehouse and logistics space alongside a 5,000 sq ft, two-storey timber-framed office building, delivering a total site area of about 170,000 sq ft.

Official opening and scale of the Birkenhead investment

The new headquarters marks the latest phase in Finsa’s more than 25-year presence in Birkenhead, with the company relocating from its previous sites at Vittoria Dock and Ocean Park to the Grandidges Quay plot within the Wirral Waters Freeport tax site.

As reported by Wirral View, Wirral Council’s leader Cllr Paula Basnett has welcomed the £20 million investment in new port and distribution facilities at Wirral Waters, describing it as strategically significant for the further development of the regeneration area.

Growth Platform, covering the official opening, quoted Finsa Group stating: “This opening marks a decisive milestone for the Finsa Group. Our £20 million investment in Birkenhead reaffirms our long-term commitment to the British market.”

La Voz de Galicia, reporting from Spain where Finsa is headquartered, noted that the new warehouse covers 15,700 square metres and was inaugurated in the presence of Alejandro Polanco Mata, consul general of Spain in Manchester, and Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, alongside Finsa board members.

Job safeguards, Freeport incentives and economic impact

According to Birkenhead News, the £20 million investment is expected to safeguard approximately 50 direct and indirect local jobs, with the potential for additional skilled employment over the next five years in line with forecast cargo growth.

Leader of Wirral Council, Cllr Paula Basnett, said:

“This investment is a fantastic vote of confidence in Wirral and in the opportunities created by the Freeport at Wirral Waters. Finsa’s decision to consolidate its operations here and commit to long-term growth demonstrates the strength of our local economy and the attractiveness of our borough as a place to do business.”

She added:

“Safeguarding jobs and creating new high-quality employment is at the heart of our economic strategy, and projects like this show how partnership working can deliver real benefits for local people and businesses.”

Cllr Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Business and Trade, said:

“The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority is proud to have supported Finsa UK in unlocking the benefits of our Freeport programme. This investment demonstrates how Freeport incentives can drive growth, safeguard skilled jobs, and attract new opportunities to our region.”

Wirral Council’s Economic Growth Team, working with the Liverpool City Region Freeport Team at the Combined Authority, has supported Finsa UK in accessing Freeport benefits, which can include business rates relief, stamp duty relief, employer’s national insurance relief on new jobs created and capital allowances where eligible.

Operational upgrades, crane and port capacity expansion

The Grandidges Quay development includes a new £2 million dockside crane facilitated by Finsa, which will be available for use by other port-focused businesses as well as supporting Finsa’s own operations.

Raquel Carrillo, Managing Director at Finsa UK, said: “After more than 25 years of operation in the Wirral, this significant £20 million investment underscores our deep commitment to the future of the area and the wider Liverpool City Region.”

She added: “This project lays the foundation for decades of sustained growth and enables us to contribute proudly to the regeneration of Birkenhead Docks by delivering modern port infrastructure. The new facility will function as a key port terminal and national distribution centre for Finsa, strengthening the supply chain for the construction industry nationwide by providing our vast catalogue of wood-based solutions for both structural and interior decoration uses in housing and commercial projects.”

Carrillo also said: “We are especially grateful for the support from the Council and the Combined Authority, which helped us make this vision a reality, and we look forward to building upon our already strong connections with the local business and wider community.”

The project is projected to increase Finsa’s cargo handling throughput at Birkenhead Docks by 23% by 2031, building on a current baseline of around 30 vessel arrivals per year.

Design, sustainability and construction delivery

The scheme was delivered by regional contractor Glencar on behalf of site owner Peel Ports Group, with practical completion recorded in early May 2026.

Tom Kearsley, North regional director at Glencar, said: “This facility not only supports Finsa UK’s long-term growth but also demonstrates what can be achieved through strong collaboration, technical expertise, and a shared commitment to sustainability.”

He added: “We are proud to have delivered a scheme that will have a lasting positive impact on both our client and the wider Birkenhead community.”

Focused Construction News, summarising Glencar’s project details, reported that the warehouse features a 52-metre clear span and that the office structure uses cross-laminated timber, with sustainability measures including photovoltaic panels, battery storage, rainwater reuse systems, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and sustainable timber throughout the office.

Liverpool Business News noted that the completed headquarters comprises 158,904 sq ft of warehouse logistics space and 5,000 sq ft of timber-framed office space, delivered on target and on budget.

Finsa’s UK footprint and recent financial context

Finsa is a Galician-based multinational that entered the UK market in 1978 and has maintained a Birkenhead delegation since 1990, according to La Voz de Galicia.

The company operates as a sustainable wood-based panel manufacturer and supplier to distributors and manufacturers across the construction and interior design sectors.

In June 2026, Liverpool Business News reported that Finsa UK warned of rising supply chain costs linked to the war in the Middle East as it recorded a dip in annual sales to £59 million, shortly after the completion of the new £20 million facility.

Despite that short-term sales pressure, the new headquarters is intended to strengthen Finsa UK’s operational efficiency and long-term performance in the British market.

Background to the Wirral Waters and Freeport development

The Grandidges Quay site forms part of the wider Wirral Waters regeneration scheme, a large-scale brownfield redevelopment on the former Birkenhead docks led by Peel Ports Group and Peel Waters.

Wirral Waters has been designated as a tax site within the Liverpool City Region Freeport, enabling qualifying businesses to access enhanced capital allowances, stamp duty land tax relief, employer national insurance contributions relief and simplified customs procedures.

Finsa’s relocation from Vittoria Dock and Ocean Park to Grandidges Quay consolidates its port-side logistics and distribution functions within this Freeport zone, aligning with council and combined authority strategies to attract and retain high-value logistics and manufacturing activity.

The completion of Finsa’s headquarters was highlighted by Wirral Council in May 2026 as one of three major milestones at Wirral Waters, alongside new planning approvals at MEA Park West and national recognition for the Millers Quay residential scheme.

Prediction: how the Finsa development may affect local workers, suppliers and the port economy

For local workers in Birkenhead and the wider Liverpool City Region, the Finsa development is likely to stabilise existing employment in wood products logistics while creating conditions for incremental hiring as cargo volumes grow towards the 2031 throughput target.

Skilled roles in port operations, warehouse management, crane operations and supply chain coordination stand to benefit most directly, with the Freeport incentives designed to encourage employers to retain and expand higher-skilled positions rather than relocate them.

Local suppliers and service providers, including transport firms, maintenance contractors and business services, may see increased demand as Finsa scales its national distribution function from Birkenhead and as the shared-use crane attracts additional port users to Grandidges Quay.

For the Birkenhead Docks economy, the investment reinforces the shift towards modern, higher-capacity logistics infrastructure and may encourage further private investment in adjacent plots, particularly where Freeport benefits and quayside access can be leveraged.

However, the extent of job creation beyond the safeguarded 50 roles will depend on broader construction and housing market conditions, given Finsa’s exposure to the building sector and the cost pressures highlighted in its 2026 trading update.

If cargo throughput rises in line with projections and the Freeport continues to attract complementary businesses, the Finsa headquarters could act as an anchor for a more diversified port-based logistics cluster at Wirral Waters, with implications for training providers, colleges and apprenticeship schemes seeking to align curricula with port and logistics skills demand.