Welsh government welcomes new poultry factory
The Maelor Foods site in Wrexham was officially opened last week (November 23) during a visit by cabinet secretary for energy, planning and rural affairs Lesley Griffiths, cabinet secretary for economy and transport Ken Skates and the Mayor of Wrexham, councillor John Pritchard.
Speaking at the opening, Griffiths said: “Maelor Foods is an ambitious business that is set to play a leading role in the poultry industry.
“I am very pleased to see this new and innovative investment to redevelop the site of the old First Milk creamery, which will see the creation of 150 new jobs and is supported through our Food Business Investment Scheme.”
‘New and innovative investment’
The project received £3.15M in funding from the Food Business Investment Scheme through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which was funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.
Griffiths said Maelor’s new factory would help to grow the Welsh food and drink sector to a value of £7bn by 2020.
“This has been achieved by putting business at the heart of all our plans in Wales,” he added. “Inward investment by businesses such as Maelor Foods is a key factor in realising this ambitious target.”
About 70 jobs have already been created at the new site, with Maelor supporting employment in the local supply chain as it takes on local farmers as suppliers. It expects to process around 122t of poultry at the site per day.
Employment in the local supply chain
Md Raj Mehta said: “We are very pleased that our long term vision for Maelor Foods is becoming a reality.
“We have to thank the Welsh Assembly Government and Wrexham County Borough Council for their support in helping us to reach this point and bringing much needed employment back to the area.”
Maelor Foods is associated with Midlands-based Salisbury Poultry, which was set up in 1989. The family-owned firm employs more than 600 full-time staff at its base in Bilston in the West Midlands.
Meanwhile, last week, food packaging supplier Hotpack Packaging is to create 250 jobs in Wrexham, north Wales, as it plans to move its European headquarters to the town.
