Accrol Papers set to create 80 jobs in Leyland

Accrol Papers, which has its HQ in Blackburn has agreed with Lancashire County Developments to lease a new 168,000sq ft building in Leyland.

It will be used to house two new high speed tissue converting production lines which use huge rolls of paper to make kitchen roll, tissues and facial tissues.

The machinery, which the company bought in April, is in storage in Accrington but will be installed at the Leyland site with a view to getting operational from January next year.

Steve Crossley, Accrol’s chief executive, said: “We are very pleased that the business is growing as it is and that we are able to create jobs in the area.

“As we have consistently said we would rather do that than have jobs go elsewhere. We have always had great local support from the community and get very committed people.

“They will be phased in over the next 12 months, 40 initially and then as we double the capacity a further 40. This additional capacity underlines our strategy of investment ahead of growth in state-of-the-art machinery and facilities.

“It will position Accrol to benefit from underlying organic growth in the discount sector and enable further growth with the major multiples.

“At the same time, we will focus on improving efficiency at the existing Blackburn sites to further increase our total capacity.”

The jobs will be a variety of roles from machine operatives to run the conversion line, supervisors, warehousing and distribution jobs and some management positions. Accrol floated on the AIM in June this year.