£40m investment in Princes factory

Food and drink group Princes has begun a 12-month expansion of its site in Weaverthorpe Road, at East Bierley, in a bid to increase capacity and improve efficiency at the 101,000 sq m factory.

More than 31,000 sq m of new warehouse and production facilities will be created as part of the investment project, and old office blocks and other redundant buildings have been demolished to make way for the expansion.

The warehouse will be connected to the main production building and will house all soft drinks made at the factory before they are sent to supermarkets, convenience stores and wholesalers across the country.

The company is also investing in new syrup-producing technology to blend drink ingredients.

The factory, owned by Princes since 1991, has more than 300 employees and produces more than 400 million bottles of fruit squash and soft drinks every year.

Work began on the redevelopment project in August and it is expected to be completed by autumn next year.

Princes’ managing director Ken Critchley said: “This strategic investment ensures the site’s ongoing status as one of the leading soft drinks production sites in the UK.

“After years of careful planning and preparation, we are very pleased that construction work is now underway on this important project.”