Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Stoke-on-Trent manufacturer Wade Ceramics is planning further expansion just a year and a half on from a major investment in new premises and technology.
As part of a £7.5m project, the pottery firm moved in 2010 into a new, purpose-built factory in the city and installed the latest robotic manufacturing machinery. Since then, though, production of the ceramic decanters Wade makes for Scottish whisky producers has virtually doubled and the company is now waiting for planning permission to extend its new site.
The company now produces around 80,000 porcelain decanters and spirit flagons a week for leading brands of Scotch – growth that has created some 70 new jobs at the factory in the last year, taking the total workforce to over 200. Further expansion would allow the creation of even more jobs.
Wade says that porcelain decanters are increasingly big business in the presentation of premium whiskies for the Far East market. Many famous brands appear on the Wade products, including Bell’s, Chivas Royal Salute, Drambuie, Famous Grouse, Glenfiddich, Whyte & Mackay and Glenlivet.
Wade not only wants more room at its site now but plans to invest a further £750,000 on new equipment as well.
