Company unveils new staff facilities

WORKERS at a Huddersfield pickle factory are relishing their new facilities.

Shaws (Huddersfield) Ltd, wellknown for its pickles, relishes and chutneys, has invested in a new staff canteen and changing facilities at its Aspley premises in preparation for creating more jobs.

Former chairman Martin Shaw and former director Terence Peace were invited to officially open the new amenities, which will benefit the firm’s 27 employees.

They were joined by representatives of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, which has provided the company with a £30,000 grant from its Business Growth Programme to create a further three production jobs at the firm.

The work involved converting an old entrance to the factory, which was being used as warehouse space, to create a large canteen and upgraded changing facilities to provide more comfortable surroundings for workers on their break, improve the factory layout and help future-proof the business for further growth.

Sales manager Lesley Atkins said planning for the project began a year ago while construction work on the changing facilities took about nine weeks. She said: “We now have the space available to substantially increase the number of staff in the future.”

Shaws traces its roots to 1889 when George Shaw founded the company at Shaws Relish Works in Fitzwilliam Street.

George and his two sons, Walter and Vincent, built up the family business selling products ranging from relishes, jams and pickles to marrowfat peas and baking powder. Later the firm moved to much larger premises at Storths Mill on Wakefield Road, where it has remained on the site ever since. Walter’s sons Norman and Malcolm also joined the business.

Martin Shaw, Norman’s youngest son, joined the firm in 1953.

As his father and uncle Malcolm neared retirement, Martin recruited Terence Peace, then newly-qualified as a chartered company secretary, in 1967.

Mr Peace became a director two years later.

These days, the company is led by chairman Matthew Shaw, Martin’s son, and managing director Jan Docker, Terence’s niece.

The firm supplies pickles, relishes and chutneys to customers including Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s, the Co-op and Iceland as well as local butchers and farm shops.