Barry Callebaut Vending UK names Keith Williams as Operations Manager
By Ian Reynolds-Young
Barry Callebaut Vending UK has named Keith Williams as Operations Manager ahead of its imminent relocation to larger premises in Chester. The new location gives the hot beverage supplier approximately four times the space that it currently has, facilitating an opportunity for the company to step up its operations and expand significantly its market presence in the UK.
Keith has been with the parent company for over 20 years and was on-hand to help with the planning of the Chester site, which he will oversee. He has worked at Barry Callebaut plants in Banbury and Chester, initially as Maintenance Manager, then Maintenance Engineering Manager, followed by a stint as Environmental Manager (responsible for health and safety), before accepting his current role.
Barry Callebaut Vending UK’s MD, Peter Holdway, expressed his delight at Keith’s appointment: ‘Having seen him in action in Chester and knowing his history with Barry Callebaut and his knowledge of the site, Keith was the obvious choice for this appointment and I’m confident that he is more than capable of meeting the challenges of running a busy factory and driving production. He will play a key role in our expansion plans’, he said.
Keith is already relishing the opportunity of taking the helm on the factory floor. ‘Having stood on site all those years ago, before the factory was built, surveying the plans and then helping to decommision the site and facilitate the previous team’s move to Banbury, it’s great to come back with a clear vision for the future’, he said. ‘It’s especially good to return to familiar territory at such a pivotal time in the company’s history as it plans further engagement within the HoReCa and vending markets. These are exciting times for us at Barry Callebaut and it’s a pleasure to be part of it.’
The new premises will house an IT system that has been significantly upgraded. Chester will also boast new machinery that allows Barry Callebaut to improve its packing.
For more information, please visit the Barry Callebaut web site, here, or call 01744 817606
