a workplace with a waitlist. How Innov8 made soapworks the place to be.
When The Carlyle Group acquired the former Colgate factory, the vision was clear: transform a disused industrial site into a vibrant commercial destination. Innov8 has been at the heart of that transformation from the outset, combining property management, strategic consultancy and hands-on design input to shape what Soapworks is today.
We were more than early stewards, we were active partners in shaping the site’s potential. From 2008 onwards, we played a key role in advising on development and layout decisions, making design suggestions that materially improved tenant experience and commercial appeal. From repositioning stairwells and reconfiguring toilets to rethinking the ground floor café and entrance points, our insight helped optimise the space before construction even began.
When ownership transitioned to Greater Manchester Pension Fund in 2018, we were retained to ensure continuity, cultural consistency, and long-term stewardship. As the outgoing landlord said, Innov8 was “the glue” that made Soapworks work.
Turning potential into performance
Our role has always gone beyond day-to-day operations. We’ve helped ensure every stage of the site’s evolution supports long-term value, tenant appeal, and operational excellence.
We bring a consultative lens to property management—treating each decision as if it were our own investment. That mindset shaped our input in the early design phases and continues to inform how we manage the building today. From service charge planning and compliance to influencing tenant-facing spaces, we stay close to both the strategy and the detail.
We’ve supported forward-looking investment from the outset—introducing rooftop beehives, EV charging bays and a waste centre back in 2016, long before ESG became a mainstream mandate. We’ve since led solar feasibility studies, LED upgrades, and launched a tenant-facing energy monitoring platform. Sustainability isn’t a retrofit here, it was baked in from the beginning, because we were involved from the beginning.
"Innov8 have been much more than a managing agent, they've been a strategic partner from day one. Their insight and input helped shape the vision for Soapworks, and their ability to balance big-picture thinking with day-to-day detail has been key to the site's success. They consistently go beyond expectations and have been instrumental in turning Soapworks into a place where people genuinely want to work—and stay."
— Andrew Day, Senior Director, Bankfoot APAM Ltd
a building people People want to be in.
At Soapworks, one tenant now has a waitlist for employees who want to work from the site. It is a clear reflection of the workplace environment we have helped shape through thoughtful, consistent management.
That result comes from being proactive about tenant experience. We have introduced team-building activities, local vendor pop-ups, car valet services and welcoming communal spaces that help people feel proud of where they work. We focus on the everyday details that create a better working environment.
We also understand that culture is something you live, not something you outsource. Our on-site team is a consistent and friendly presence, building strong relationships across the tenant community. Even during major projects like a complex two-year concrete repair programme, expectations were clearly managed and service levels remained high.
Community the Innov8 way
At Innov8, we believe a building should contribute to the community it sits within. That’s why, at Soapworks, we’ve brought our community-focused approach to life in a way that reflects Salford’s identity and needs.
Soapworks is part of the local community and we’ve always made sure our management reflects that. Through Innov8-led initiatives, we have supported causes that genuinely need it, including regular foodbank donations, Easter egg drives for local children, funding for homelessness charities and support for the iconic Salford Lads and Girls Club.
This is not surface-level placemaking or a box-ticking exercise. It means showing up consistently and acting with integrity in ways that earn trust and make a real difference. That is how we define community at Innov8.
looking ahead
In May 2025, planning was approved for the next chapter of Soapworks. This will include 60,000 sq ft of new commercial space alongside residential development. We will be there, as we have been from the beginning, ensuring continuity and supporting the site’s growth without losing its local identity.
At Soapworks, we haven’t just managed a building. We’ve helped define its design, its community role and its long-term performance. That’s what we do at Innov8.
