Pottery giant Wedgwood unveils £25 million investment in Stoke-on-Trent works
POTTERY giant Wedgwood has today unveiled multi-million pound plans to redevelop its Stoke-on-Trent base.
Parent company WWRD is planning a £25 million investment in its Barlaston works three years after buying Wedgwood out of administration.
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BOLD MOVE: Anthony Jones, of WWRD, at the Wedgwood factory
The planned cash injection will be used to:
Create new 'state-of-the-art' manufacturing facilities;
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Expand and upgrade the Wedgwood 'visitor experience';
Safeguard the 500 existing jobs;
Create more than 100 new roles.
Officials at WWRD say the masterplan is proof of their commitment to manufacturing in Stoke-on-Trent.
Some of the £25 million would come from the firm and some from selling part of its 281-acre site for high-class housing.
The Sentinel understands WWRD is also applying for cash through the Government's Regional Growth Fund.
WWRD chief financial officer Anthony Jones said: "We've made the bold decision to transform the Wedgwood estate.
"We want to create an efficient and sustainable high-quality development that will underpin our ambitious aspirations and the future growth plans for the company.
"By building new, state-of-the-art factory facilities we can continue to develop a strong Wedgwood business in the Potteries, and commit to creating and safeguarding a significant number of jobs."
The site's current manufacturing facilities are not fit for purpose, and the investment would enable the firm to increase production levels.
Mr Jones added: "We are making a point of saying we are committed to UK manufacturing and I think it needed to be said.
"In order to make that commitment to UK manufacturing, to make it not only viable but increase it from the current level, we need to lay the site out in a more efficient way."
The Wedgwood Visitor Centre currently attracts around 30,000 people a year.
Now the firm wants to more than triple that figure with the upgraded 'experience', which would include retail, factory tours and food.
The new jobs would be split broadly equally between manufacturing, the visitor side and office roles.
The houses are planned for the estate's brownfield sites and some immediately adjacent green belt land, which fall within the Stoke-on-Trent City Council boundary.
Mr Jones said: "We are excited to be beginning a new chapter. We look forward to creating an estate that does justice to Wedgwood's heritage and its history in the area."
Public consultation on the development is due to start next month and WWRD hopes to submit a planning application in October or November.
If all goes to plan, work could start as early as May next year and the development could be completed by mid-2014.
Waterford Wedgwood collapsed into administration in January 2009.
New York-based private equity firm KPS Capital Partners bought most of the company in March, 2009.
Stoke-on-Trent South MP Rob Flello said: "This investment will secure jobs in the area and preserve our heritage.
"It shows that North Staffordshire is still the world centre of ceramic excellence."
Comments
by stevenweiss
Monday, July 02 2012, 10:12PM
“The negative ratings on alot of these comments are very suspicious indeed. Wonder how many this one will attract from the executives”
by alanptr
Sunday, July 01 2012, 5:36PM
“heres what will happen in my opinion - sell the land for 30M - invest 25M in Barlaston manufacturing whilst banging on about the importance of Brand Heritage, UK manufacturing and priority of the community and the area - sell the business to the Chinese / US with this as a powerful selling tool ( lets face it - KPS have owned for over 3 years ..... 18 months to go ? ) - new owners then wonder why they're losing £ 1 for every plate they manufacture ........ kilns go to Indonesia ............”
by tiggerkian
Sunday, July 01 2012, 4:06PM
“i wonder why my comment about wedgwood having their work made abroad was removed....its cost local business's thousands of pounds and cost thousands of jobs....the truth obviously hurts....”
by magnum57
Sunday, July 01 2012, 3:49PM
“100 jobs in manufacturing is better than 100 warehousing jobs for Johnny Foreigner.”
by PJeel
Saturday, June 30 2012, 11:20PM
“Why not purchase and invest in bringing the Spode site up to 21st Century operational requirements? That way they'd be regenerating Stoke, a poor area that actually needs the investment, unlike Barlaston, and make up for the loss of staff from the relocated Council Offices. They could also exhibit the "Family Jewels" at the disused Wedgwood Memorial in Burslem, which would be apt. WWRD could then build even more houses in the high value Barlaston area.”
by stevenweiss
Saturday, June 30 2012, 4:01PM
“Will any of that money go towards paying off bills run up by the old company? Alot of hard working businesses are in trouble due to debt caused by bust customers.”
by NOONESHOME
Saturday, June 30 2012, 10:03AM
“Exserviceman.There's none so blind as them that see.It does not take much to impress you does it?. 100 new jobs is hardley likely to bring this city out of recession.I would be more impressed with these people if there had been no mention of the house bulding plans,It is pretty obvious they are linking the jobs to getting planning permission for their houses, So, Once the houses are built WWRD will make a nice fat profit of millions,Then guess what,There will be 100 or more redundancies at the plant.or am i just being cynical, Again!! I have seen this done so many times over the years, There will be brown envelopes, and behind closed door meetings going on,You can bet your life on that.”
by Raymondc1
Friday, June 29 2012, 9:22PM
“Too little too late in my opinion, investing 25 million in state-of-the-art' manufacturing facilities; they had state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities a while back this is why Wedgwood sacked so many of their work force, of cause with help from the share-holds also.
does very little for the City over all, creates 100 jobs and may safeguards 500 jobs, maybe so, but the City needs more than a 100 jobs creating, not impressed by any-means, Wedgwood's, have got to much more than what they reported today to impress the City and have any in pact in the City.”
by Exserviceman
Friday, June 29 2012, 6:10PM
“Parent company WWRD is planning a £25 million investment in its Barlaston works three years after buying Wedgwood out of administration.
It's not Wedgwood who're investing but a company that bought the Wedgwood name. I really love reading the rantings of peopel who don't actually read the article before climbing on their class warfare bandwagon. Why can't you just be happy that 500 people will keep their jobs and another 100 get them. I sincerely hope that no business men thinking of investing in the Potteries read these pages as all they will see is an embittered population with a constant complaint and hatred for success which is most definitely not the attitude of most Potteries folk.”
by Dizzy1960
Friday, June 29 2012, 3:21PM
“I agree with you Stigzz, it is weird.....
Even though it's going to benefit this city greatly and bring higher earners accommodation into the area. It seems strange that workers have lost 1000's of pounds in their investment pensions and the upper class will probably make hundreds of thousands of pounds in their investment. DEMOCRACY? I don't think so!
Apark@Stoke4LUZ
honi soit qui mal y pense”