WORK is underway on a four month project to create a new £1 million warehouse facility creating ten new jobs.

The new 975m2 warehouse and access road at Cod Beck Blenders’ purpose-built eight acre site in Dalton, near Thirsk, is being created with the help of a grant from the Let’s Grow Regional Growth Fund.

Cod Beck Blenders, which provides toll and contract manufacturing services across a wide range of sectors, is adding almost 50 per cent to its current storage capacity creating a further 1,450 pallet spaces.

The new warehouse will feature a combination of standard pallet racking and drive-in high storage density racking to provide flexibility to service both small and large customers as well as maximising space.

The principle contractor is HACS in Ripley with construction work on the new warehouse and access road scheduled for completion in early September and the facility expected to be operational a few weeks later.

Established in 1988, Cod Beck Blenders currently employs more than 100 staff and works with blue chip clients across the pharmaceutical, agricultural, agrochemical, horticultural and fine chemical industries.

Steven Meyer, managing director of Cod Beck Blenders, said: "Our volume and customer base is continuing to grow and consequently we need greater capacity to hold more material.

"Our improved range of storage options, from small order picking to storage of large volumes of raw materials, enables us to plan more efficiently, increasing our plant effectiveness and meaning that we can react quickly to changing customer demand, which is often seen in contract manufacturing.

"The increased capacity allows us to continue to service our current customers’ needs as well as allowing for further growth and is a demonstration to our ongoing commitment to our Dalton site.”

The Let’s Grow programme provides grant support for capital investment projects that will create new, sustainable jobs in North Yorkshire, the City of York and the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Mike Baker, senior business and investment adviser for BE Group, which delivers the programme in partnership with Clive Owen LLP said: "We are delighted to have been able to support Cod Beck Blenders through the Let’s Grow scheme.

" I am sure that the additional capacity will enable the company to achieve its growth ambitions."