Firm’s site expansion in city will create room for over 100 new jobs
MORE than 100 jobs are set to be created at one of Derby’s leading manufacturing firms after plans were approved for it to expand.
Planning permission has been granted so Pektron can build a new operations warehouse at its Alfreton Road site on vacant land next to the Morrisons supermarket car park.
According to planning documents, the new facility will help the electronics-making company increase its work capacity in Derby and create up to 105 new jobs during the next few years.
Founded in 1964, Pektron has five factories in Derby and it is claimed to be one of the largest privately owned electronics manufacturers in the world. The company’s base at Alfreton Road has expanded progressively throughout the decades.
It is said the new building “will bring together the plastics moulding division, warehousing, manufacturing and clean room manufacturing in one interlinked building” which “will enable Pektron to function more efficiently as well as “manufacture to ever higher standards; and produce more for their growing markets”.
The new moulding facility will be approximately 80 per cent larger than its existing building and have extra headroom to allow for larger moulds to be moved around by a travelling crane.
Planning documents also state that the new warehouse is “a direct result of Pektron’s recent acquisition of a complementary high-tech company”.
Planning bosses at Derby City Council officially approved the plans on Monday. A decision notice by the authority said: “The erection of manufacturing and warehousing unit at Pektron, Alfreton Road is acceptable in terms of its design, scale and external appearance. The proposal will not have a detrimental impact on flood risk or highway safety.
“The impacts of the proposal have been considered on designated heritage assets including the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and Grade II listed Alfreton Road Bridge, where the proposal will have a neutral impact and no impact retrospectively.”
The plans include a Section 106 Agreement between Pektron and Derby City Council worth more than £32,000 going towards traffic improvements between Alfreton Road and the A61.