Member Article

Minister opens £1.2m Merseyside container plant

Business Minister Baroness Wilcox has opened Bootle Containers’ new £1.2m manufacturing plant on Merseyside.

The 800 sq metre facility has recently been completed as part of the firm’s investment programme, allowing them to increase output and become more energy efficient.

Baroness Wilcox said: “Bootle Containers has gone from strength to strength by investing in new facilities and its workforce, which has placed it in a prime position to take advantage of burgeoning overseas markets.

“Manufacturing makes a vital contribution to the growth of a more sustainable UK economy, which is why it remains central to the Government’s Strategy for Growth.

“That is also why we are working to tackle the perceptions of the industry, particularly among young people through our Make it in Great Britain campaign, to demonstrate how vibrant and rewarding a career in manufacturing can be in the twenty-first century.”

The company was founded in 1974, and has diversified from supplying storage for Liverpool’s docks to now designing, building and refurbishing containers and accommodation units for many applications, particularly in the oil and gas and military sectors.

Managing Director and Chairman, Les Richards, said: “I am delighted with the development within the site at Bootle Containers.

“The investment in a downturn was the right course of action for this company, and we are now reaping the rewards in terms of attracting new business from both national and international markets.

“My vision for the business is to develop a ‘Best in Class’ manufacturing facility that can compete on a global stage, and we are well on our way to achieving this.”

The Minister also talked to delegates at the Society of Maritime Industries Conference in Liverpool, highlighting the importance of the sector to further growth.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .