One of the region’s major employers, national insurance group Youi, is set to commence construction of stage one of its brand new 15,000m² global headquarters at Sippy Downs.
The $68 million project will see Youi relocate from its existing offices on the banks of Lake Kawana at Birtinya to a new four-level facility which will be capable of accommodating up to 1700 staff when stage one of the project is complete in September 2017.
Youi Group CEO Howard Aron said the commencement of the firm’s new global headquarters was a boost for the whole business, including its 800-strong staff.
“There’s a lot of excitement among our whole team who really can’t wait to move into the new office space," Mr Aron said.
"We’ve experienced phenomenal growth since 2008 when we first employed just 30 staff.
"We’ve worked hard to build a strong culture and recruit and retain quality staff and it’s going to be great to have everyone located in a purpose-built building.
“We will also provide up to 1300 car parks for our staff so we’re very confident that we won’t see a repeat of the parking congestion which caused so many issues at our existing head office."
In keeping with Youi’s philosophy of supporting local business, the firm has engaged a number of Sunshine Coast-based businesses in the building process including Hutchinson Builders, KHA Project Managers, Project Urban, Place Design, JF&P Engineering, Empire Engineering and MCP Hydraulics.
“We anticipate that around 1200 construction jobs alone will be created as a result of this stage one development which is a massive boost for the local economy. Employing so many local firms reinforces our commitment to the Sunshine Coast and it’s great that we can spend this money locally,” Mr Aron said.
Mayor Mark Jamieson praised Youi for achieving this important milestone and their enduring commitment to the Sunshine Coast.
“I was delighted to announce with Youi last year their decision to establish their global headquarters on the Sunshine Coast”, Mayor Jamieson said.
“The commencement of construction of their new headquarters is fantastic news and greatly welcomed by our council.
“This is yet another sign of the confidence that exists and is continuing to grow in the Sunshine Coast, with nearly $3.5 billion in private investment getting underway on the Coast in just the last week.
“Youi Group CEO Howard Aron has a very clear picture on the advantages of running an international business from the Sunshine Coast and that should prove an inspiration to many others about the locational advantages that our region offers.
“Youi and Council have a strong relationship that goes back nearly 10 years, during which time their business has grown from an innovative start-up to become one of our region’s major employers.
“Over that same time, the Sunshine Coast has become one of the strongest performing regional economies in Queensland and enjoying some of the strongest levels of business confidence seen in the region’s recent history.
“Youi’s great success story shows that the Sunshine Coast offers strong opportunities to establish, grow and operate a global undertaking from our region.
“Most particularly – and on behalf of our community – our council welcomes the new employment that Youi is generating both from the construction of their new headquarters and the expansion of their business.
“This not only stimulates confidence in our economy and for local businesses who are playing a role in this development, but also generates confidence in our community that greater employment opportunities are available locally."
Mr Aron said stage 2 of the project would see a 10,000m² wing added to the new headquarters and would ultimately accommodate up to 3000 staff members.
Picture: Youi Group CEO Howard Aron (centre) with Mayor Mark Jamieson and Planning and Development Portfolio Cr Christian Dickson