Roberts of Port Dinorwic has unveiled plans for a significant £425,000 investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, which is part of an overall £750,000 initiative aimed at enhancing productivity, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
Based in North Wales, this manufacturer specializes in providing ready-to-cook meal components to quick service restaurants, pubs, and foodservice wholesalers. The decision to invest comes as the company, under the leadership of CEO Mark Rodgers, has returned to consistent profitability.
This latest investment phase involves the installation of an energy-efficient refrigeration system as well as a state-of-the-art X-ray precision portioning machine. Both innovations are intended to boost manufacturing accuracy while simultaneously lowering waste and conserving energy.
This announcement follows the successful deployment of a £300,000 microwave tempering system, which has greatly improved production flexibility. By reducing the time required for meat tempering from 72 hours to approximately 20 minutes, this technology allows for same-day processing of short-notice orders, thus enhancing product yield and quality.
Roberts anticipates that the new refrigeration system will replace outdated, carbon-heavy equipment, yielding estimated annual savings of around £200,000 and achieving a return on investment in under two years.
Additionally, the newly acquired X-ray precision portioning machine is expected to cut products with an accuracy margin of just one millimeter, helping to optimize yields, minimize excess, and reduce waste during production.
This investment is integral to the company’s broader transformation strategy as it seeks to grow in wholesale, public sector catering, and establish new manufacturing partnerships through a recently approved three-year commercial growth plan.
Mark Rodgers commented, “This investment is about much more than new machinery. It’s about building a smarter, more sustainable and more responsive manufacturing business that delivers real value for our customers.”
He continued, “The results from our first investment have exceeded expectations, improving yield, reducing processing times and giving us the flexibility to respond much more quickly to customer demand. We’re now building on that success with technology that will reduce waste, lower our environmental impact and open new market opportunities.”
Rodgers also noted that the company has concentrated on rebuilding its commercial foundations over the past nine months.
