# Crest Packaging - Gillingham, Kent - January 2007



## Maniac (Apr 21, 2008)

I saw a video of this place posted on here by a member, so I thought I'd post my photos Taken in January this year. 

Crest packaging was origenally known as Bowaters packaging. The origenal factory and admin block were built in the late 50's/early 60's, the factories primary purpose was the manufacture of flexible packaging primerily for the food industry. Bowaters packaging was brought out by the Crest group in 1985, and the factory traded as Crest packaging from then until it closed in 2003 following the collapse of the Crest group, leaving opver 200 people out of work. 

At the moment the site is being prepared for demolition, a large metal extension to the rear of the factory was demolished last year, and the rest will follow once the asbestos removal crews have finished their job. Not exactly sure what's happening to the site, rhumor has it a large distribution centre might be built there, but I can't find any evidence to back this up. 

There's not a great deal to show what the place did, as all assets were sold off when the company collapsed, however it was still a good explore and there were lots of interesting bits in the admin block. These photos were taken in January before the asbestos removal crews got to work. 

Apologies for some of the photos being a tad blurry, the light was fading and I had no tripod the first time I visited - lesson learnt, lol. 

The factory itself is totally stripped, but huuuge inside, much bigger then you think it's going to be. 











Newer extension to the rear





Nice set of old scales was about the only thing of interest in the actual factory. 





So we moved across the walkway to the Admin block. From here, you can get a nice view of the main factory





Most of the admin block is old offices and more-or-less empty, but the top floor, and basement areas are quite interesting. 

On the top floor there was a 'secure' area which I presume housed the accounts department judging by the safe, and account records. 




That would be me behind the gate, and what that big 'press' thing is I don't know, but it was very heavy! (answers on a post card please!) 

One very old safe





Accounts records everywhere. 





And lots of these parts draws, all empty thou 





Custom telephone shot





And while we're at it, have some switchboard wiring as well




In fact, the place was stupidly well wired for comms, I think they may have had a call centre type place here, as there were a rediculous number of telephone outlets.

Up in the roof space, there's the origenal lift motor and pulley system





With this sticker on that made me laugh for some reason 





And the best part, for me being a sad technicaly minded individual, the origenal lift controller. These are rare nowerdays, almost all have been upgraded to newer electronic contol units. These babys are all mechanical and relay driven so they clunk and click a lot when they work (there are videos of simelar ones on you tube if anyone's interested) 





We ventured to the basement areas, and found the mother of all safes. Well OK, it's not quite a vault, but it's the biggest one I've some across while exploring. 





and what do you expect to find in a safe, well another safe of course, what else 





One serious electricity supply





Then in some rooms to one end of the complex, we came across these gems, still in their origenal cases as well. 









For those that don't know what they are, they are franking machines, and were very nicely made, and extreemly heavy! 

And then this store room, with lots of woodern pegs. Still not really worked out what they were for, but we know they used to store their samples etc. in this room, as the draws were all labelled up with various customers names, and we even found a few samples of lea and perrins boxes (which I wish I'd photographed) so I'm speculating they were possibly for storing rollers for printing box designs etc. 





Lastly, couple of roof shots, it was bloody cold and windy on the night we did these. Anyone that knows medway will find the background in these a familure sight. 










Hope you enjoyed! Some of the photos could be better, but I was getting used to the camera at the time!

Maniac.


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