McCain Foods broke the first ground on Monday for the expansion of their factory in Lelystad. This involves an investment of 65 million euros that will increase the production capacity for processing potatoes by 33%. The expansion comprises 9,000 m2, which will soon contain the latest and most modern machinery. The start of construction was signalled by Alderman for Economic Affairs, Janneke Sparreboom, together with Erwin Pardon, CEO of McCain Europe and Luc Geurts, director of the Lelystad factory.
Photo: Photo studio Wierd
McCain has a long history with the Netherlands and with Lelystad. McCain came to the Netherlands in 1973. In 1991 McCain bought the chip factory in Lelystad from Polder Food. A considerable expansion followed in 1997. McCain has therefore been an important employer for Lelystad and the surrounding area for almost 30 years. Currently it employs about 250 people.
Alderman Janneke Sparreboom: "The investment for which we have laid the foundations today not only means building a factory, but is also a sign of confidence in the future, in the quality of the employees, in providing employment, in the city of location: Lelystad. It lays a solid foundation for both the company and the city for the next 30 years. "
"Room for new talent"
“This expansion offers a stable future for the 250 employees in Lelystad,” says Luc Geurts, from McCain Lelystad. “In a year with a lot of uncertainty, we are very happy to see that McCain is investing in the long term and thus also laying a stable foundation for our future. Our employees are essential and are the backbone of McCain. We are very grateful to them for their commitment and involvement in these challenging times. We are always looking for new talent to join McCain. We are not only investing in a larger factory and continuous improvement, but also in the future of our staff and future employees. ”
Durable and safe
The expansion of the Lelystad factory allows McCain to meet growing market demand. The efficiency of the work improves. Food safety, a healthy and safe working environment and sustainability are part of the company philosophy. McCain achieves energy savings of 15% with the expansion. It is also investigating the possibilities for further reduction of CO2 emissions.
The expansion and renovation of the factory in Lelystad will be ready in February 2022. The construction and furnishing will provide work for about 150 people during the construction period.
Source: Lelystad