Hundreds of manufacturing jobs at risk at Nottingham’s Boots headquarters site

Hundreds of jobs could be at risk after a manufacturing company at Nottingham’s Boots headquarters announced plans to close their factory.

Fareva, which makes beauty and pharmaceutical products, said it has started consulting with staff at its Thane Road facility in Beeston.

The company said economic changes of the Covid pandemic and political unrest in Europe had a “big impact” on its business.

It is proposing moving all production activities to its other UK factory in Wales.

The French company bought Boots Contract Manufacturing (BCM), Boots the Chemist’s in-house manufacturing arm, from the pharmacy chain’s parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance in 2017.

Fareva said its product testing service, research and development, commercial and procurement activities will continue to operate out of the Grade I listed D10 factory in Nottingham.

”Over the past couple of years, the world has changed dramatically. The effects of Covid and the recent political unrest in Europe have been unprecedented,” a spokesperson for Fareva said.

“Production volumes have decreased due to some customers moving production in-house and remaining business volumes are lower than their pre-Covid levels.”

Fareva said the loss of business had led to both its UK sites having “spare capacity”.

‘Devastating news’

It will now enter a period of collective consultation with staff whose roles are affected.

Production at the factory is expected to continue for at least another year before it ceases completely.

Fareva said it “does not expect” to make any staff redundant until early 2024.

A total of 150 new job roles would be created at its Pontyclun factory site and staff in Nottingham would be given “first priority”, it added.

The announcement comes just a week after Boots revealed it would close 300 stores across the UK over the next year.

The union Usdaw said the announcement was “devastating news for the staff and the local community”.

Mark Wheatley, Usdaw area organiser, said: “We will now enter into consultation talks with the company, where we will interrogate the business case for their decision.

“In the meantime, we are providing our members with the support, advice and representation they require at the very difficult time, as we seek to secure the best deal possible.”

Darren Henry, the Conservative MP for Broxtowe, said he raised his concerns about potential job losses when he met with Fareva’s head of human resources and the vice principal for commercial on Tuesday, July 4.

He said Fareva had made assurances that if the factory does shut, “full redundancy plans” will be put in place for affected staff.

“This is a worrying time for those involved. I will continue to do all I can to look after the livelihoods of those in Broxtowe and will send updates if news develops,” Mr Henry added.

Born in Radcliffe-on-Trent in 1815, John Boot opened his first herbalist store in Nottingham in 1849, the precursor to Boots the Chemist.

His son Jesse would later take over and transform the small family business into the nationwide chain it is today.