More than 100 jobs are heading to the city after Swedish packaging giant Tetra Pak chose to locate its UK headquarters on Chester Business Park just a stone’s throw from a new finance base opened by Virgin Money.
Tetra Pak, which makes cartons for the drinks industry, is relocating its UK and Ireland headquarters and 60 employees from Wrexham to The Foundation, a former Lloyds Banking Group training centre.
Meanwhile, Virgin Money, which bought £1bn credit card assets from Chester-based MBNA, has set up an office next door, linked to the launch of its own credit card bringing up to 50 jobs – many of them brand new roles.
Tetra Pak says all existing employees, from back office roles like sales, marketing, finance and HR, are relocating to the new Chester site but the company has ‘plans to continue recruiting for exciting roles within its business in the near future’.
Steve Wyatt, managing director of Tetra Pak UK and Ireland, said: “We are pleased to be opening our new UK and Ireland headquarters in Chester. Tetra Pak has been operating in the UK for almost 60 years and in that time, we have created game-changing packaging that has shaped the industry.
“Today, we work with many well- known brands and our move to Chester will help us better meet current and future needs. We are looking forward to the next chapter in the Tetra Pak story, which Chester will be central to.”
Virgin Money chose Chester for its new operation because of the existing skills base in financial services. The initial office is small but will expand into larger premises with roles in management, commercial and planning disciplines.
In the past MBNA managed and serviced credit cards on Virgin’s behalf but the company has now decided to launch its own credit card operation after acquiring £1bn worth of business from MBNA.
Virgin spokesman Brian Giles said: “Virgin Money has previously announced that it acquired £1 billion of Virgin Money branded credit cards from MBNA and is developing its own credit card operation.
“The Virgin Money office in Regus House in Chester is one small part of that operation. The current office has been open for about a month and we would anticipate around 50 people being located in the Chester area.
“The balance will be towards new job creation but some will be existing roles within the business.”
Eric Langton, chairman of Chester Renaissance, said: “This is more good news for Chester. The city, as far as employment is concerned, is on a roll at the moment, particularly in the financial services sector.”
Mr Langton said the news came at a time when “hundreds and probably thousands of jobs” were likely to be created at the new Chester Business Quarter, next to Chester Railway Station, where construction work has just started.
Manheim, the world’s largest vehicle auction and remarketing company, recently announced its decision to locate its NextGear Capital UK operation on the business park , with the creation of an initial 42 jobs expected to rise to more than 100 in a few years.
