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Jobs to return to town if fire-hit factory can be replaced




Jobs will return to Grantham if a fire-destroyed factory can be replaced.

A major inferno wrecked the premises of Specialised Chemicals at Tollemache Road South on the afternoon of August 25, 2017.

Then, fire tore through the building, causing explosions and walls to collapse. Ten appliances and 50 firefighters took more than three hours to bring the blaze under control, as nearby roads were blocked and buildings evacuated. The cause of the fire was blamed on static building up within the building.

Specialised Chemicals, founded in 1973, makes aerosol products, employing 25 staff and exporting to 43 countries.

A planning application to South Kesteven District Council seeks the replacement of the former 916 sq m building with a two-storey 834 sq m building on the 7,352 sq m site area.

A report said: “The business has been able to remain operational by outsourcing a significant proportion of their business as well as being able to rent an operational factory some 130 miles away and an office in central Grantham.

“This proposal seeks to re-establish production facilities back to Grantham and restore effective operations whilst at the same time providing improvements to the operational management of the business and improved safety and risk management.

“A number of staff have been (and still are) working some 130 miles away. The directors appreciate the commitment that these employees have shown but need to bring these employees back to Grantham as soon as possible.”

The application said the staff employed at three sites across the country are predominantly local to Grantham, with operatives travelling down on a Monday morning, staying in company-provided accommodation and returning on Friday. It added: “This is not sustainable and it is imperative that the operations are up and running as soon as possible.”



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