Staffordshire business set to expand
Major companies in Staffordshire are seeing a huge surge in demand during lockdown – leading to more job openings.
It comes as Webb Plant Group, which has two sites in Stafford, landed permission to build a third base on the outskirts of the town.
The move is going to create 150 jobs for local people – although it is not yet known if the jobs will be new or if people will be moved from existing sites.
Webb Plant Group, which supplies specialist rail and construction equipment, already has sites at Common Road and Tollgate Industrial Estate.
But bosses want to expand by building the new site on land at Beacon Business Park, off Weston Road, due to higher demand.
Elsewhere parcel delivery giant DPD, which has its headquarters in the neighbouring Black Country, is creating 6,000 jobs after a boom in online shopping.
And other businesses involved in delivery and logistics, such as APC at Cannock and Pallet-Track at Ettingshall, are also seeing a big surge in demand during the lockdown.
The Webb Plant Group development is earmarked for an 8.9 acre plot and will include engineering and assembly workshops as well as space for storage and hire of plant and commercial vehicles, an office, welfare and training facilities car parking and a new vehicle access.
Development manager John Holmes said: "The layout of the site will enable them to expand in the future. They haven’t listed how many existing employees there are.
"The company doesn’t work a nine to five day – a number of staff work on a shift system."
Stafford Borough Council's planning committee unanimously approved the application this week.
Councillor Ann Edgeller said: "Bring it on. AP Webb is a long-standing company within Stafford.
"Where possible we should do everything we can to support businesses to expand and employ more people. It is an ideal site for future expansion and for future development."
