Major construction and engineering firm adi Group has secured a multi-million pound deal with international food and drink group Princes.
Further details about the agreement were revealed at a ground breaking ceremony, attended by staff from both companies, including adi Group CEO Alan Lusty and Ruth Simpson, Princes Group Director, Food and Marketing.
The large-scale project, which is set to run until next spring, will see adi help to redevelop and expand Princes Long Sutton site by nearly 19,000m² (200,000 sq ft), as well as create new car parking facilities to the west of the venue to free up the existing provision, and allowing building to commence.
The development, which is already under way, is being undertaken by adi’s construction business, adi Building & Refurbishment, which is working with its supply chain partners to provide a cohesive approach to the project. This will result in a new raw material handling and kitchen facility at the Long Sutton site which already employs over 500 permanent staff.
Commenting on the project, adi Building & Refurbishment Managing Director, David Beebee, said: “The contract with Princes marks a significant milestone for us at adi.
“This is one of the best-known food and drink brands in the UK and worldwide, so we’re really proud to be helping engineer further production capacity for the firm on British soil.
“adi Building & Refurbishment has been one of the most successful businesses in adi’s rich history, growing on average 300% a year since 2015. Right now, we’re in a really exciting period where we can deliver a wide range of design and build projects, from both a national and big-name brand perspective.”
Princes Long Sutton site is its largest food production site in the UK, producing a range of canned products including peas, pulses, beans, bean meals, fruits and ready meals. The new project and associated infrastructure, such as the car park, will allow the canned food specialists to provide state of the art equipment, better energy efficiency and increased production as part of its long term commitment to UK manufacturing.
As well as boosting Princes’ production, the new development opens up a wealth of benefits to the region as a whole. The site is one of the largest employers in the area, and its operations support hundreds of regional jobs in businesses and industries that provide raw materials and services.
Ruth Simpson Group Director, Food and Marketing at Princes said: “Our Long Sutton site is a well-established part of the Princes family and we’re delighted to be implementing this significant investment to secure its long-term future.
“Our development programme is providing state of the art equipment, better energy efficiency and increased production at the site, and is a major part of our commitment to UK manufacturing and providing sustained, high quality employment opportunities in the area.
“In adi, we know we have a partner to support us in successfully delivering this significant undertaking. The ability to manage the project all under one roof was an attractive proposition for us, and we’re really looking forward to seeing the development progress with them over the coming months.”
The Long Sutton project is Princes largest investment to date at the site, with a number of initiatives, such as a 3.5 metre acoustic barrier around the eastern perimeter of the site, helping to minimise noise disruption to the local area.
The adi Group, based in Birmingham, is one of UK’s leading construction and engineering companies with a multi-disciplined focus allowing the business to serve household brands across the UK & Republic of Ireland.
