Dozens of staff at kitchen giant Wren have settled into new jobs at the firm, just months after being made redundant at Hull manufacturer Kingstown Furniture.
When Kingstown Furniture plunged into administration in March, over 250 staff lost their jobs.
Wren, which is headquartered in Barton-upon-Humber and has bases in Howden, Hull and Scunthorpe, stepped in to offer jobs to staff affected by the sudden closure.
Five months on, over 30 staff have settled into their new roles at Wren, and have shared their experiences so far.
Adam Whiteley, 32, from Hull, is a machine operator at Wren.
He said: “It’s not every day that you get made redundant and then find another job in the same week.
“I worked at Kingstown for eight years, so I really appreciate what Wren did for me - it’s a great place to work with a real sense of camaraderie.”
Wren is going from strength-to-strength as it has recently announced plans of opening a £120 million factory in Barton-upon-Humber, creating up to 1,200 jobs.
This compliments its existing manufacturing sites in Barton-upon-Humber, Scunthorpe and Howden.
Wren is also expected to move into a new facility in Brough, close to the BAE factory.
Gary Parkins, 48, worked at Kingstown Furniture for almost two decades before being made redundant in March.
He said: “I plan to work at Wren until I retire as it’s a challenging and rewarding job,”
“I worked at Kingstown for 17 years so I’m thankful to be back in employment really quickly.
“Wren has a fantastic attitude supporting and employing those who had lost their jobs. I’m proud to work for Wren and it’s great to be part of such a forward-thinking company.”
Over 500 staff work at Wren’s 500,000 sq.ft. Scunthorpe facility based at Foxhills Industrial Estate.
It’s a major cog in the operation of manufacturing 2,000 kitchens a week for customers across the UK.
To educate Wren employees on new equipment and safety procedures, the company has introduced a new training academy which is a simulated factory setting packed full of equipment.
Allan Baldwin works in the Barton-upon-Humber factory as a sprayer. He previously worked at Kingstown for 17 years.
“It’s great that I can continue to do the job I love,” he said.
“I was only out of work for three weeks then Wren thankfully took me on. I’ve settled into the role really quickly as I know the job well and enjoy it.”
Wren Kitchens’ manufacturing and logistics director, Rafal Klimek, added: “Turning the futures around for those who were made redundant is a real positive feat for most importantly their livelihoods and for our business too, as we welcome some real talents to the Wren family.
“As we continue to expand at a rapid pace, our manufacturing team is key to the success of our business, as their hard work and dedication ensures our complex operations are efficient and to the highest standards.”
