Wren to create 500 new jobs over next five years

WREN Kitchens & Bedrooms is creating 500 new jobs as it completes the acquisition of the former Kimberly-Clark manufacturing plant in Barton-Upon-Humber.

As part of the largest single investment the company has made into the region, it will be transforming the 180 acre site into its new head office.

The 500 new jobs will be created over the next five years with the first 100 vacancies expected to be filled within six months.

Wren finance director Mark Pullan said: “At a time when most of our competitors have moved their manufacturing overseas, Wren has remained committed to manufacturing in the UK. We have recently invested £5m in our Scunthorpe plant but the Barton site is needed to meet the demands of a growing network of Wren stores and an expanding product portfolio.”

Wren worked closely with the leader of North Lincolnshire Council Cllr Liz Redfern during the acquisition, as well as with MP for Brigg and Goole Andrew Percy, MP for Scunthorpe Nic Dakin and MP for Grimsby and Cleethorpes Martin Vickers.

Mr Pullan said: “This deal would not have been possible without the input of Councillor Redfern and all three local MPs. Their support during this process has been invaluable and we are hugely grateful.”

The new Barton headquarters will be complete with a new centralised customer service department plus warehousing, logistics and manufacturing facilities.

Wren Kitchens & Bedrooms currently employs 1,200 people in the UK, 650 of which are in the Humber region. Its current headquarters are based in Howden, East Yorkshire and the business has 38 stores across the country, with plans to introduce an additional 60 over the next three years.

Along with the company’s existing plants in Scunthorpe and Howden, the Barton site will help meet the rapidly increasing customer demand Wren is continuing to enjoy.

Wren Kitchens was founded in 2009 by Hull entrepreneur Malcolm Healey and is a sister company of East Yorkshire's Ebuyer.com, which generates in excess of £200m of sales each year. In July 2012, the firm, which manufactures its kitchens and bedroom furniture in its production plant in Scunthorpe, launched its bedroom range.

International firm Kimberly-Clark, which makes Huggies nappies, ceased production at its Barton plant in March.

Source : Ellie Newton-Syms – TheBusinessDesk.com
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