Leicester-based Universal Flexible Packaging (UFP) will be investing around £2.3m to convert its current Lunsford Road site into a Peanut and Tree Nut site.
The company made this announcement after its September announcement of investments worth £11m in a new factory in Lewisher Road. The company had said that this investment would help boost its annual turnover from £17m to a target of £25m in three years.
UFP said that the site was supposed to be sold as part of the new factory deal. However, it will now remain with the company and will be changed into a Peanut and Tree Nut site.
The investment of £2.3m has been funded by the managing director of the Cambridge & Counties Bank, Tinku Durrani, and the Durrani family property company, MANN Properties (Leicester).
Operations at the 170,000ft2 production facilities will begin from spring 2015. The new facility will also help in the creation of 20 new jobs.
Packaging News quoted Durrani as saying: "We are particularly pleased that we have been able to retain our Lunsford Road plant as it enables us to focus specialist nut packaging facilities there. It's been an exciting twelve months for us and we can't wait for the new plant to be up and running in 2015!"
Universal Flexible Packaging specialises in confectionery, popcorn and dry goods packaging and has already recruited for over 60 new posts in 2014. It has further plans of recruiting more people, including a number of apprentices in early 2015.
