United Caps, a bottle cap manufacturer working internationally, has invested in a new factory in Rotherham which will create 20 jobs.
The investment of €20 million will allow the company to open its first facility in the UK.
Expansion planned for later
United Caps said that the site, which required an investment of €20 million or £18 million, will be a potential site for future expansion if the business requires it. As it stands, the facility will be 5,000m2, with an additional 15,000m2 available according to how much growth the group sees after their first push into the UK.
The site in Dinnington will supply caps and closures for food and drink packaging, and will create 20 packaging jobs at the outset. The exciting prospect is that this figure could grow if the production facility takes off. They expect to begin production at the end of 2019, with beverage and dairy closures being the first stop for the company. After that, additional segments would potentially be added as they go on.
United Caps already has sites in Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Hungary, Luxembourg, and even Ireland – but this is their first foray into the UK.
Initial phase planning
Chief Executive of United Caps, Benoit Henckes, said: Our studies reflected that demand was highest for beverage and dairy closures. More specifically, we will focus on the production of plastic closures for flat and medium carbonated drinks, as well as fruit juices and dairy products in PET
Speaking about the new site, Henckes added: “We chose Rotherham because of its central location along the M1, available technical skilled people and the reasonable cost of land in that area. We are looking forward to working closely with the Rotherham Council as the project proceeds.”
It’s clear that there are plenty of people with skills and experience in the local area, many of whom may be looking into food recruitment opportunities for the timeframe suggested. Competition for the roles may be fierce, so it is certainly recommended to be on alert for the job postings and to apply as soon as recruitment is underway.
The investment is expected to increase the group’s turnover by 15% during the first phase, and if this works out as planned, there will be room for more in the future. The figure includes the machinery brought in for the first phase, with more lines available should the budget allow or it.
“The beginning of operations means 20 new jobs almost immediately, and the welcome news that we can be hopeful there will be many more jobs to come for dedicated local people in the future,” said Chris Read, leader of Rotherham City Council, who has been working closely with United Caps. He added that he is looking forward to working with them in the future.
Paul Gory is the Plant Director at the United Caps site in Greystones, Ireland. He will be overseeing the Rotherham plant’s initial phase, after serving eight years for the company. Part of his role has already include the transfer of production lines over to the new site in Dinnington, and this will continue until the plant is ready to open.
This could be a great boost to the local area, with the potential for becoming a major employer in the years to come if everything goes according to the company’s plan.
