The UK’s number one kitchen retailer is submitting a planning application for a new 910,000 sq. ft. facility to be built behind the existing factory on part of its 180-acre site.
From opening its first showroom 10 years ago, Wren has grown to become the UK’s largest kitchen retailer with 78 showrooms nationwide. The company requires this new facility to keep-up with its future expansion plans.
Wren Kitchens currently employs more than 1,500 people at its headquarters in Barton, with another 1,000 employed at its sites in Scunthorpe, Howden and in Hull. If the planning application is approved Wren is confident that up to 1,200 new jobs will be created when the factory is fully operational.
Wren Kitchens Managing Director, Mark Pullan, said: “This project will be the largest single investment in Wren’s history and having considered different locations both across the UK and abroad, we believe that developing the existing site in Barton-upon-Humber provides us with the best solution.
“The new factory demonstrates our commitment to manufacturing in the UK and particularly the Humber Region. We believe that continual re-investment in our business is essential to maintaining our current growth rate and subject to receiving planning approval, the project will be funded internally.”
Aside from the 1,200 new manufacturing roles, Wren will also be creating new positions in IT development, engineering, customer service and product development to keep pace with growing customer demand.
Wren is celebrating its tenth anniversary and earlier this year was named the UK’s Best place to work by leading jobs website Indeed.co.uk.
Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Rob Waltham, said: “It’s a fantastic vote of confidence for the business and for North Lincolnshire that Wren Kitchens is looking to expand its operations in Barton.
“The move could see more highly skilled jobs brought to our area, and such large private investments often prove to be a catalyst for further investments in the surrounding areas.
“Barton and North Lincolnshire are ideally located to allow major businesses like Wren Kitchens to access the rest of the region and the country easily by road and rail. Wren have obviously recognised that North Lincolnshire has the space their business needs to grow, and a workforce with the skills they need to support that growth.”
