A metal-working business has bought the former Fox’s Glacier Mint factory on the outskirts of Leicester
ADS Laser Cutting has bought the site on the Braunstone Frith industrial estate to give it further room for expansion.
Big Bear Confectionery, the company behind the Glacier Mint as well as XXX Mints, Paynes Poppets and Just Brazils, revealed a year ago that it was shutting the factory after deciding to set up a combined UK head office in Pontefract and Blackpool.
Staff on the city’s Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate were told that parent company Valeo Foods Group was setting up a new UK confectionery division and merging Big Bear with its Tangerine Confectionery business.
More than 200 people worked there.
The original Fox’s Confectionery business launched in Leicester in 1880.
By 1897 it was making 100 lines of sweets and in 1918 launched the clear Glacier Mint.
In the years since it has had a number of different owners and in 2017 became part of Valeo Foods, one of Europe’s fastest growing consumer foods producers.
Its brands include Jacob’s and TUC crackers, and Rowse honey.
ADS Laser Cutting offers services such as metal laser cutting, folding, fabrication and finishing, with sites in Wigston and Bruntingthorpe, both just south of Leicester.
It was founded by brothers Duncan and Stephen Keates and turned over £7 million in its last financial year.
It has seen 20 per cent year-on-year growth over the last three years and employs more than 60 people.
The new site covers around 87,000 sq ft and will allow the business to consolidate its two existing operations.
Duncan Keates said: “The new site requires quite a bit of reconfiguration and further investment in new equipment, but we are hoping to relocate during Spring 2021.
“We will continue to serve existing customers and gain new customers throughout the UK and are certain the relocation will not affect our production.
“We have stayed open during the pandemic by creating a Covid safe environment for customers and staff.
“This is another step along the way towards meeting our growth ambitions and we are excited about welcoming customers here in the future and creating a new environment for our staff.”
