More jobs predicted for Grimsby – Fishupdate.com

More jobs predicted for Grimsby Published:  09 March, 2009

THE head of one of Scotland’s leading fish processors and curers has predicted even further jobs growth with his company’s new Grimsby investment.

Bill Leiper, chairman of Andrew Christie Junior Ltd of Aberdeen, speaking at the official opening of the new Humber seafood factory on Saturday, said he was confident that the number of jobs created would eventually rise from the initial 25 to more than 40.

Mr Leiper said his company had had a long association with Grimsby stretching back more than 30 years and he was delighted to be investing in the port which had all the necessary skills and was strategically located to serve the whole country.

The new factory site, which is also being shared by monkfish and halibut specialists Osprey Seafoods and Nelson Fish Sales, will produce for the home wholesale and retail sectors as well for markets in Europe.

A large crowd of fishing chiefs from Scotland and Grimsby gathered for the official ceremony by Humber MEP Timothy Kirkhope, who is also Conservative Party group leader in the European Parliament.

He congratulated the company on its initiative, saying: ‘This is the way we should do things in this country . We must not be done down by the recession, but we must use it for generating new investment. to give people this great resource which is fish.’ Steve Norton, chief executive of the Grimsby FMA told the Chronicle: ‘This is a real positive move for Grimsby because it brought investment and jobs into the industry.’