Kitchen retailer plans to boost Yorkshire economy with £120m facility and 1,200 new jobs

Wren Kitchens is planning to create up to 1,200 new jobs at its Barton-upon-Humber headquarters as it prepares to invest over £120m in its fourth manufacturing facility.

The 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 has reported this new facility will enable it to keep up with 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 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… 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.

Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Rob Waltham, added: “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 investments often prove to be a catalyst for further [ones] in the surrounding areas.”

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