A North Wales bakery\u2019s new \u00a320 million production line is up and running.<\/p>\n
After a 14-month installation, the giant piece of equipment at the Jones Village Bakery\u2019s flagship headquarters complex on Wrexham Industrial Estate was completed two days ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n
The new line has doubled the company\u2019s roll-making capacity and is set to create 60 new jobs by next summer.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s part of a total investment package of \u00a347 million which also includes plans to \u00a0convert and extend a storage facility that was built on the nearby site of the company\u2019s bakery that was destroyed by a devastating fire in 2019.<\/p>\n
CEO Simon Thorpe said: \u201cThe new roll production line is a fantastic investment that will enable us to satisfy the growing appetite for our products.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the same old story. If\u00a0 you make fantastic products and provide excellent customer service, it will invariably create demand.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very proud of the team who have worked like trojans to build this new production line two days in front of a tight schedule which was a full 14 months long. They have done an absolutely cracking job.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe equipment is the very best, most modern that\u2019s available on the market and has come from the Netherlands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe chose it because it makes the very best product\u00a0 and it\u2019s been configured in a way that is bespoke to our particular needs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The project was masterminded by Group Head of Engineering Kris Green.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cThe new roll line has significantly increased our capacity, utilising the skills of craft bakers without them having to do any of the heavy manual tasks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s advanced, highly sophisticated equipment that mimics what you do in a craft bakery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the key because our primary focus is always the quality of the product which drives demand. It speaks for itself in terms of the growth we have seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe upshot is that it\u2019s attracting more highly skilled people and we\u2019re investing in that internally.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs we move in to next summer, when the demand increases again we\u2019ll be looking at a total of 60 jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Group Head of Operations Andy Beckett also played a key role in the success of the production line installation.<\/p>\n
His rise through the ranks has been meteoric, starting from the floor up as a cleaner at a large bakery company in the North West where he was part of the management team.<\/p>\n
After spells working at senior levels for a major glass manufacturer and a global brewery giant, he returned to his first love as a trained baker at the Village Bakery two years ago.<\/p>\n
Completing the new production line ahead of schedule was, he said, his proudest career moment so far.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you\u2019re in bakery, it becomes a passion so I was thrilled to join the Village Bakery which continues to enjoy spectacular growth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a fantastic place. There\u2019s lots of investment and lots of opportunities for anybody who\u2019s prepared to work hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re really going places and I feel I am now part of something very special and the new production line enables us to serve the customer in different ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith precision planning, we were able to get everything completed early and start making saleable products two days early.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe whole team were absolutely fantastic \u2013 the people who work here are our secret ingredient who create the bakery magic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe people are what makes the business. Investing in them, training them and encouraging them is what I\u2019m all about as a manager.\u201d<\/p>\n
Simon Thorpe added: \u201cFrom the point of view of our customers, everybody is very excited about having the extra capability created by the new production line.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is testament to what the Village Bakery has always been about \u2013 investing to grow with quality at the heart of everything we do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is great news, not just for the Village Bakery but also for the wider Wrexham economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWrexham is going from strength to strength and we want to continue to support that. It\u2019s been a wonderful journey so far and there\u2019s still plenty more to come.\u201d<\/p>\n