UK—Jones Village Bakery invests US$20 million in a new production line which will create 100 new jobs at its Wrexham bakery, an investment which has been hailed as a major boost for the local economy.
The bespoke 85-meter-long line has been configured to the company’s exacting specifications, with most of the equipment coming from a specialist Dutch supplier. The equipment is being installed at the family company’s 140,000 sq ft bakery on Wrexham Industrial Estate.
According to the company, it will be the most advanced production line in the world and it is expected to be up and running in July.
Project director Christien Jones said, “Essentially, this is a craft bakery line on a larger scale so we still have the influence of the craft master baker but we have taken away the mundane jobs like the lifting and the carrying.
“The magic is provided by the skill of our staff. We add value to our products by using hand work by our trained team but there’s no skill in lifting a bakery tray. That’s what we’re trying to take away so it’s more appealing to attract staff going forward,” he added.
Christien’s brother Robin Jones, the managing director, also expressed his excitement for the project, “We’re so proud because this is a multi-million-pound world class facility and the products that we make with it will change the face of bread making in the UK.”
He added that training will be provided in the company’s in-house Baking Academy and that the staff recruitment process was already underway. The company is looking to take on 50 staff now and a further 50 next year when a second shift is expected to swing into action.
“For the right people, there are excellent career prospects at the Village Bakery – most of our managers and supervisors are homegrown,” Robin Jones said.
The procurement and installation are being masterminded by projects director, Christien Jones. According to Mr Jones, it’s the “perfect marriage” between the latest technology and the traditional craft baking skills for which the company is renowned.
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