THREE hundred new jobs have been created following a major factory expansion.

The £35 million expansion to Sharp UK in Llay was announced in July and now the company has officially announced the number of jobs which have be created.

It will take the number of employees from 800 to 1100.

The new expansion will double the factory’s capacity to produce solar cell modules.

General manager at the site, Denise Marsden, said nearly all the 300 extra positions have already been filled ready for when the expansion is finished in
February or March.

“We are also opening a training academy to train solar installers which will open officially on February 11.”

International sales for Sharp said: “This job creation proves that there is an appetite for solar technology in the UK and that this sector has huge growth potential, bucking the trend in the wider economy.

“Despite growing unemployment figures and concerns over rising interest rates and inflation, the feed in tariff led to a shot in the arm for the solar industry, and we’ve responded by creating jobs to help drive industry growth potential for UK Plc.”

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ to hear of the new jobs.
He said: “I campaigned for many years for this financial incentive called the feed-in tariff which was introduced in April last year by the Labour government.

“It had an immediate impact on general demand for solar energy in Britain and created jobs in Wrexham.

Llay councillor Malcolm Williams said it was excellent news for the village and for the rest of Wrexham.