ONE of the biggest employers in Ellesmere has confirmed it is moving its operations to the Netherlands, with around 70 jobs believed to be at risk.

Staff at Fullwood JOZ in Ellesmere were informed by their Dutch bosses on Tuesday, March 12, that jobs at the site would be relocated to Holland.

It comes weeks after it was announced that the site in Ellesmere was to be put up for sale to allow expansion in the UK to take place, with Wrexham reportedly a front runner as the new home.

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However, Mariska Kremer, from Fullwood JOZ in the Netherlands, said the decision was taken to help boost the business and that staff will be offered the chance to re-locate.

She said: “On Tuesday, March 12, we informed our colleagues in Ellesmere that we are considering relocating some of Fullwood JOZ’s operations from our Ellesmere plant to Fullwood JOZ’s Agriport plant in The Netherlands.

“We are committed to delivering best-in-class products for the farming and dairy industry, and this has led us to explore alternative operational bases for some of our staff.

“We hope that such a move will help the business to grow and develop, and to take best advantage of our trading opportunities and market conditions.

“We are discussing the proposed relocation with those valued employees who may, potentially, be affected.

“This involves a formal consultation process, and we are taking all appropriate steps to consider the rights and interests of staff involved.

“Notwithstanding the proposed relocation of certain staff, we will continue to operate our dedicated UK customer and technical teams in the UK.”

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The business is best known for manufacturing milking machines and cooling systems for dairy farmers.

The factory site for Fullwood Packo, in Grange Road, was put up for sale recently for around £2 million through estate agents Towler Shaw Roberts.

The company, which was bought out midway through 2022, said in January that new and bigger premises were being sought.