From this site Northwood Hygiene Products operated a hygiene materials manufacturing company, employing up to 100 workers. The site closed in October 2020.  

After discussions with Welcome Furniture, this site was leased by Adra, with the intention of creating a training centre for displaying and installing products that would be part of the process of decarbonising homes owned by Adra.  

The site also includes the Travis Perkins depot which provides Adra and its contractors with equipment for the repair and refurbishment of existing housing stock and the construction of new housing. 

The name Gwyrddfai is a play on the words Gwyrdd and Gwyrfai.

The “gwyrdd” translates to green which is a significant symbol for the environment and conveys what Adra and partners are hoping to achieve through decarbonisation. “Tŷ” translates to house and is at Adra’s core and roots as a company and housing provider.

A shortlist of names were presented to pupils at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Penygroes from staff at Adra.

In the longer term, the development will lead to a more qualified and skilled workforce, which will support the local construction sector and ensure that any value generated through decarbonisation and related capital investment will be retained locally.  

It will also contribute towards reducing carbon emissions in our homes, which in turn will reduce the impact of increasing fuel and energy costs by making our homes more energy efficient and improve the quality of life for our tenants. 

There is genuine excitement among the partners and in the region about this project and the social value and positive difference it can achieve to local communities and the local economy. 

Tŷ Gwyrddfai already accommodates the head office for Adra’s in-house contractor which employs over 150 staff. Travis Perkins have also set up a depot on site to provide us and our contractors with materials and supplies. 

Busnes@LlandrilloMenai’s Centre for Infrastructure, Skills and Technology (CIST) manages the specialist on-site training pods at Tŷ Gwyrddfai. CIST delivers bespoke and tailored decarbonisation training packages as well as training programmes for the construction sector, especially in areas such as exterior wall insulation, installation and servicing of solar panels, air source heat pumps, battery storage and retrofit. Apprenticeship programmes are also delivered by Busnes@LlandrilloMenai.  

Hyfforddiant Net Sero Training Gwynedd delivers sector leading training in decarbonisation, renewable energy, and retrofitting skills from Tŷ Gwyrddfai, Penygroes.  

This specialist provision enables individuals and businesses to develop skills in the rapidly evolving area of decarbonising homes providing training in areas such as:  

• Renewables  
• Retrofit  
• Energy Efficiency  
• Decarbonisation  

Busnes@LlandrilloMenai is the business arm of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, that delivers professional, specialist and work-based training. 

Through the involvement of Bangor University,  Tŷ Gwyrddfai will also promote innovation in new products, materials and technology to support decarbonisation and climate change adaptation and a research facility will be established to test and trial new technology and materials aligned to the decarbonisation agenda. 

Read more about their work in the communiy