Roberts of Port Dinorwic commits £425,000 to ‘more responsive’ manufacturing

Ready-to-cook meal component supplier, Roberts of Port Dinorwic, is investing £425,000 in its production facility in a bid to increase value to its hospitality customers.

The Caernarfon-based firm will bring in a new refrigeration plant to replace ageing, carbon-intensive equipment. This is aimed at reducing energy consumption and delivering projected annual savings of around £200,000, with an expected return on investment in under two years.

Alongside this, Roberts has ordered a next-generation X-ray precision portioning machine capable of cutting products to within 1mm accuracy. The technology should further support yield optimisation and help to reduce wastage.

CEO Mark Rodgers said: “This investment is about much more than new machinery. It’s about building a smarter, more sustainable and more responsive manufacturing business that delivers real value for our customers.”

The latest phase forms part of a £750,000 investment programme designed to improve operational efficiency, enhance sustainability and unlock new commercial opportunities.

It follows the completion of a £300,000 microwave tempering system, which has reduced meat tempering time from 72 hours to just 20 minutes. The system enables same-day processing of short-notice customer orders, improving responsiveness and production flexibility.

Rodgers added: “The results from our first investment have exceeded expectations, improving yield, reducing processing times and giving us the flexibility to respond much more quickly to customer demand. We’re now building on that success with technology that will reduce waste, lower our environmental impact and open new market opportunities.”

The investment comes as Roberts returned to monthly profitability and is now targeting sustained month-on-month and year-on-year profit growth over the next six months. The company is diversifying into wholesale, public sector catering and new food manufacturing partnerships as part of a newly approved three-year commercial strategy targeting sustainable new business growth over the next three years.

Rodgers said: “We’ve worked incredibly hard over the past nine months to transform the business. We’ve returned to profitability, developed a clear commercial growth strategy and are investing with confidence in our future. Every decision we’re making is focused on creating a stronger business for our customers, our people and our long-term growth.”