Engineers needed to boost biscuit output
A Staffordshire biscuits manufacturer needs more engineers to increase output from its factory.
Elkes Biscuits is aiming to increase the 2.5 billion biscuits it makes each year by almost 50 per cent over the next 12 months.
The Uttoxeter business was bought by Birmingham-based 2 Sisters Food Group owner Ranjit Singh Boparan's Boparan Private Office in March 2022 to save it from closure.
Since then it has gone from strength-to-strength and in Septemberannounced plans to increase its workforce by more than 50 per cent following major investments and impressive sales growth. Major capital projects are also planned over the next three years.
To capitalise on its growth plans it needs the new engineering recruits to ensure the machinery is maintained in top condition to accommodate the growth plans.
The current product range includes own label biscuit favourites like custard creams, and chocolate malted milks, legendary ‘nostalgia’ brands like Nice biscuits and premium retailer chocolatey custard and bourbon creams.
Elkes Biscuits general manager Kevin Hand said: “All 620 colleagues here are valued for the part they play in making great biscuits, and we’ve worked out we have a massive 7,000 years of experience between us all.
“But when you’re making 53 million individual biscuits every week, we need to ensure our kit is running smoothly and will be able to take the ramp up in capacity. That’s why our engineering team is so vitally important and we would like to take on more with this particular skill set.”
He said the business is looking to take on at least one electrical engineer and two technicians, and will consider taking on more multi skilled engineers if the right quality candidates come forward. Successful applicants would be offered a flexible shift system.
UK candidates needing to move closer to the factory get a reimbursement of up to £8,000 for relocation purposes. Overseas recruits can benefit from Elkes’ Sponsorship Licence which grants permission to an organisation to sponsor workers with specific skills.
Elkes’ HR manager Debbie Shenton added: “We have brought many engineers through the apprentice route to having a permanent full time engineering role with Elkes Biscuits and it’s really satisfying to see this internal progression and careers blossoming.
“We are partnering with an external engineering training company to ensure individual training pathways for all our engineering colleagues, as part of the Elkes Engineering Academy, guaranteeing true multi-skilled opportunities. This is something we’re very proud of.”
“We have some excellent examples of career progression and there’s growth opportunities in engineering specifically, including apprentices, electrical engineers and technicians all the way up to chief engineer.”
In addition to engineering roles, the company is on the hunt for a health safety and environment manager and shift manufacturing managers.
Anyone interested in applying for a role should contact Elkesrecruitment@2sfg.com or call 07546 692514 or 01889 563131 and ask for the HR team.
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