Specsavers has begun work on a £7m expansion of its Kidderminster Vision Labs manufacturing site, as it looks to increase lens production and add new automated technology.
The investment will boost weekly lens output by 22 per cent, rising from 139,000 units to 169,000 units, helping to support more than 900 Specsavers stores across the UK.
The expansion was announced at a ceremony attended by Deputy Mayor of Kidderminster Councillor Shazu Miah, with work now under way on two existing buildings at Vision Labs.
The site is one of three Specsavers manufacturing and distribution facilities in Kidderminster.
Once complete, the total building size will increase from 6,319 sq m to 7,544 sq m.
Specsavers said the new production technology will remove several steps from the current manufacturing process, improving lens yield per square metre and requiring the existing workforce to be upskilled.
The development is also expected to improve electricity efficiency, reduce water consumption and lower the site’s overall carbon footprint.
Vision Labs head of operations Shafi Ahmed said: “This expansion is a direct result of growing demand for Specsavers’ services in the UK.
“With bigger sites and better technology, we are strongly positioned to continue to deliver quality eye care to communities across the UK.”
The investment comes as retailers continue to focus on strengthening domestic manufacturing and distribution capacity, while using automation to improve resilience, efficiency and speed to store.
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