Kellanova has announced plans to create 130 jobs at its grain production facility in Wrexham, North Wales.
The cereal company has announced a £75m investment in its Wrexham factory.
The Wrexham plant currently employs 350 people and is responsible for the production of well-known cereal brands such as Special K, All-Bran and Fruit ‘n Fibre.
Kellanova’s decision to move production of corn flakes and crunchy nuts from its Greater Manchester plant to its Wrexham plant will double the capacity of the Welsh plant, enabling it to produce around 1.5 million boxes of cereal daily.
The Wrexham plant expansion follows Kellanova’s announcement in May that it will close its Trafford Park plant in Manchester, resulting in the loss of 360 jobs.
The Wrexham factory, opened by Kellogg’s in 1978, is set to become Europe’s largest cereal manufacturing facility thanks to a £75m investment from Kellanova. This is the company’s largest single investment in the UK in 30 years.
UK Managing Director Chris Silcock said: “By consolidating the manufacturing of all our key breakfast cereals into one location in Wrexham, we can take significant leaps forward in the efficiency, quality and sustainability of our operations.
“We look forward to Wrexham becoming the home of our grain production for many generations to come.”
The company’s investment in the Wrexham factory includes the installation of two advanced production lines that utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. These upgrades are expected to reduce energy consumption and help the company reduce grain production CO2 emissions by 11% annually, which is in line with sustainability goals.
It also said that using more raw materials such as rice could lead to a “10-fold reduction” in food waste. In addition, new packaging systems and improved production lines are planned.
Wrexham MP Andrew Ranger said he was “delighted” with the ranking.
He added: “Our skilled workforce is one of Wrexham’s greatest strengths and I am confident that their expertise and dedication will contribute to the success of this project.
“I look forward to a successful partnership and the positive impact this investment will have on Wrexham.”
