MP hails 'huge day' for town as new factory opens

The Schneider Electric site will employ about 200 people

A new £42m factory bringing hundreds of jobs to Scarborough has started production.

Schneider Electric said the site, which is almost triple the size of its existing facility in the town, would create 200 jobs, with 450 already working at its other base.

The firm manufactures products such as electric vehicle chargers and energy-efficient light sensors designed to help the UK's transition towards net zero infrastructure.

Scarborough MP Alison Hume hailed the opening as a "huge day" for Scarborough.

Kelly Becker, Schneider Electric's president in the UK and Ireland, said she was "absolutely thrilled" with the new facility.

Ms Becker said: "Schneider has been in some form or capacity in Yorkshire since the 1930s and that's really evolved over time.

"It means we have huge skillsets in Scarborough.

"We realised our skills, long-term employee presence, our presence with both local government and local schools, made this the right place to put this long-term investment."

Kelly Becker said she was "thrilled" to open the new plant

The company also announced a £7.2m upgrade of its Leeds site in 2023.

Labour MP Hume said the new facility in Scarborough would provide more opportunities for aspiring workers.

She said: "It's absolutely game-changing because for a coastal community to have Schneider Electric, it opens so many doors.

"It means young people who've grown up in Scarborough can live in Scarborough and bring their families up in the most beautiful town and they don't have to leave us for other cities."

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