Manufacturer Purina is to invest more than £150m to make a series of upgrades to its plant on Cromwell Road in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.
The factory, which Purina has owned since 1998, produces more than a billion wet pet food meals a year. The series of developments are designed to modernise the technology and machinery on its production lines, enhance the facilities for colleagues, improve energy efficiency and to help reduce carbon emissions.
As part of the investment, Purina has expanded the factory team, recruiting 40 new operators to focus on optimising and maintaining the new technology being installed, as well as upskilling the existing staff. The upgrades also include a refurbishment of employee changing rooms and break out areas and a new car park.
Jez McInerney, Purina’s Wisbech factory manager, said: “Purina is committed to creating top quality nutrition for the nation’s pets – but it’s certainly not all we do. We work tirelessly to do more of what matters beyond the bowl, for pets, for the people who love them and the planet.
“None of this would be possible without the fantastic work of the project team and everyone who’s based here in Wisbech. We’re delighted to have secured this large-scale investment, to ensure our site is best-in-class and fit for the bright future that it has ahead of it.
“We’re very proud of our base in the town, and with this investment, we look forward to many more decades of making great products that the nation’s pets love, all while being an outstanding employer, supporting a thriving local community and minimising our impact on the environment.”
Purina brands include Felix, Gourmet and Winalot.
