Council serves up grant for Wren

MANUFACTURER Wren Kitchens has secured a grant of £170,000 from North Lincolnshire Council to assist its relocation to the area.

Wren Kitchens recently announced it would be moving into the former Kimberly-Clark site in Barton – creating 500 jobs in the process.

And North Lincolnshire Council has supported this move by providing a grant of £170,000, over one year, from its business regeneration budget.

Wren has also secured up to £2 million of funding from the council for training and recruitment to create long-term employment.

This will provide a salary for six months for every person taken on who have been in long-term unemployment, is disabled or is a young worker who has been unemployed for more than six months.

The staff Wren take on have to be in permanent positions to qualify for this funding.

Councillor Rob Waltham, cabinet member for people at North Lincolnshire Council, said the grant would help bring new employment into the region.

He said: "This is all about creating jobs and securing jobs for the area.

"They have secured this grant to assist their relocation to the area and support Wren.

"We wanted to make sure we did not lose them."

Wren Kitchens and Bedrooms completed the acquisition of the former Kimberly-Clark site last week.

The site, based in Falkland Way, will become the company's headquarters.

The investment is understood to be worth £50 million and represents the largest single investment the company has made in the region.

The move will create 500 new jobs over the next five years, with the first 100 vacancies expected to be filled within six months.

Humber Local Enterprise Partnership has welcomed the jobs boost.

Chairman Lord Haskins said: "We are delighted to hear the former Kimberly-Clark site will be re-energised.

"Wren's commitment to keeping its manufacturing in the UK and making a further investment in the Humber is great news for the local economy."

Wren currently employs 1,200 people in the UK, 650 of whom are in the Humber region.

Kimberly-Clark closed the Barton factory – which was known for manufacturing Huggies nappies – in March, with the loss of 572 jobs.