New jobs created with pet food company's £6m expansion
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The Real Petfood Company is set to create new jobs in a major £6million expansion following the purchase of the second manufacturing unit created by the Welsh Government at the former Hotpoint site at Bodelwyddan in Denbighshire. The business aims to create a further 20 jobs within two years and envisages the workforce growing to 100 employees after 5 years.
The business, which specialises in manufacturing premium pet food snacks and treats under the Wagg and Harringtons brands, plans to relocate from its existing manufacturing base 15 miles away in Flint where it employs 30 people.
The parent company, Inspired Pet Nutrition Ltd, which is headquartered in North Yorkshire, is the UK’s largest independent producer of dry pet food. It is investing some £6 million in acquiring, re-furbishing and re-equipping the 8-acre 130,000 sq ft site.
The new equipment – which is being installed in August will mean the business can operate a continuous production process rather than the batch system it uses currently. The new equipment is expected to be commissioned in late 2016 which will be followed by the transfer and installation of the existing packing and production equipment. All the current employees at Flint are expected to move to the new location.
Graham Wheeler, managing director of the Real Petfood Co said: “The Real Petfood Company was established in North Wales 17 years ago and I am really pleased that we are able to continue growing and evolving in the same area. This is a very significant investment in the business which will boost our production capacity by some 600%.”
Economy Cabinet Secretary Ken Skates said: “The decision by the Welsh Government to buy the site and bring it back into employment use is supporting business growth, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.
“I am delighted The Real Petfood Company can now expand, create new jobs and increase capacity to meet the growing national and international demand for its products. The company’s major investment in Bodelwyddan is a strong mark of confidence in manufacturing in Wales and it’s great news that it aims to increase its workforce in the near future, with potential for further expansion.”
The Hotpoint site had been empty for eight years when the Welsh Government acquired the site in 2014 site to bring it back into employment use.
Denbighshire County Council has also played a prominent role in the proceedings, advising on technical issues and co-ordinating communication between interested stakeholders early on in the deliberations. The Council will continue to work closely with the company in the coming months, to assist the company in making a smooth transition to their new operations.
Stephen Wade, director of Legatt Owen, the agents acting on behalf of the Welsh Government, said: “I would like to congratulate the Council for the pro-active way in which they have engaged with the purchaser and responded to their initial request for detailed information in relation to the building and surrounding areas.
Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council said: “The Council has worked closely with the Welsh Government, their letting agents and the company itself to secure the company’s new presence in Denbighshire.
“The Council has adopted a brand new approach to handling investment enquiries, with the aim of turning those enquiries into real expressions of interest and successfully attracting new business into Denbighshire. In this instance we have brought together a range of Council services into discussions, met the investors and have provided important advice and assurance around their investment.
“Developing the local economy is one of the Council’s key priorities and we are delighted that our efforts to co-ordinate discussions have led the company to agree to locate in Denbighshire.
“The work of supporting potential inward investors complements the Council’s efforts to get more people into work, increasing household incomes in the county and supporting a healthy private business sector. This development will make a valuable contribution to developing the economy of Denbighshire”.
Pictured (from left to right): Ken Skates (Economy Cabinet Secretary), Eryl Williams (Deputy Leader of Denbighshire Council), Graham Wheeler (MD of The Real Petfood Company).
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