Guenther Bakeries has kicked off operations at its new 106,000 sq ft production site at Lyon Park in Coventry.
Built with an investment of £38m, the bakery facility started producing goods on 10 August following a two-year design and development phase.
The company revealed it is currently operating a high-speed bun line for a major player in the quick service restaurant sector. The line has the capability to produce in excess of 70,000 goods per hour (or around 400m per year), and features a combination of Zeppelin, AMF and Newsmith equipment.
A total of 58 staff are presently working in Coventry, with intentions to increase this number up to 90 in the future. A team of engineers was said to have been integral since the design stage and would continue to support operations post launch.
The business is part of CH Guenther & Son (CHG), a global bakery manufacturer headquartered in San Antonio which employs more than 4,000 people across 29 locations in Europe, the US and Canada. Housed inside a warehouse space leased by property firm Goodman, the new site is known as Lyons 106 and marks the firm’s fourth bakery in the UK.
CHG noted that its product range in Coventry will continue to evolve in line with its customer requirements, and that there was space inside the warehouse to install a second line.
The company was also keen to highlight the sustainability measures in place at the factory, which carries a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’. These include heat recovery from ovens, solar panels on the roof, rainwater catchment and water recycling, and charging points for the staff’s electric vehicles.
“With increased concern about climate change, food security and working conditions, CH Guenther Bakery is committed to being good stewards,” said Jean-Charles Philippon, CHG’s managing director – Europe. “Coventry stands as an example of that commitment with increased energy efficiency, large production capacity and the best baking environment for our employees.”
Philippon described the Lyons 106 facility as a tremendous example of how collaboration between builders, engineers and managers can create an environment that is good for both employees and for the world.
“A sustainable facility works for the triple bottom line – people, planet, profit. State of the art equipment makes for a healthy environment for our employees, limits our Greenhouse Gas emissions and enables profitable efficiencies by limiting use of energy and water,” he added.
Nigel Dolan, development director at Goodman, said its customers were looking for properties that allow them to maximise efficiency and improve productivity. “Guenther Bakeries’ new facility at Lyons Park combines a strategic Midlands location to shorten transit times and reduce delivery miles, with high quality space designed to support its environmental commitments,” Dolan commented.
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