The Countess of Wessex visited Omega kitchens last week to open phase four of the £20 million expansion of its Yorkshire headquarters.
Chairman Sir Bob Murray said: “We were delighted to welcome Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex to Yorkshire today. She was incredibly gracious and took her time to tour the factory and showrooms as well as chatting with our employees. We were honoured that she could officially open phase four at the plant and unveiled a commemorative plaque.
“I’m particularly pleased that so many of our employees could enjoy celebrating this important milestone with us. We have a strong and committed workforce – 98% of which are local to Yorkshire, and they remain our greatest asset.
“In the past 12 months, we have made significant investments in people, plant, processes and leading-edge technology to increase our capacity and capabilities. These investments will ensure we continue to exemplify the very best of British manufacturing and that the Omega name continues to epitomise inspired British design, craftsmanship and quality.”
The Countess was given a tour of the factory following Omega’s multimillion-pound investment in new technology and machinery.
The expansion follows a commitment from Omega to be fully Brexit-ready and have the ability to hold over five months worth of stock. The new facilities will also enable the company to produce 34,000 kitchens a year with a total production capacity expected to hit £125m within two years.
Chief executive Simon Barber said: “We have invested £12m in leading-edge plant and machinery – including a robotic material cutting and handling system and two automated paint lines to increase capacity and the quality of component parts, as well as two bespoke rigid assembly lines designed for Omega to assist us to further increase our capacity.
“The capability and flexibility of our new machinery and technology will enable us to continue to innovate with new products, finishes and colours, adding ever greater variety and consumer choice to our market-leading retail offer, as well as boosting sales by 50% in the contract market in 2019.”
