A FAMILY-RUN pet food maker has embarked upon a £1.5m spending plan to boost production equipment in a bid to meet rising demand.

Inspired Pet Nutrition says the move will strengthen manufacturing and pallet sorting at its North Yorkshire factory.

The business, known for the Wagg and Harringtons brands, says the investment, which includes new robots, will dramatically bolster production across 10-kilo and three-kilo bags of food.

Bosses say the business’ plant, based on Dalton Airfield, near Thirsk, hit a record weekly despatch figure of 5,300 pallets in November, and David Wilson, operations manager, said the financial outlay will help maintain such momentum.

He said: “Previously, to meet customer demand for two flavours on one pallet, each flavour had to be manufactured separately on single pallets and wrapped.

“The pallets were then moved to another part of the factory where they had to be manually unloaded and re-stacked to combine the two flavours.

“The new robotic equipment, which is linked to a £500,000 multi-directional conveyor, now does this automatically as part of a single process.

“It can complete 21 pallet loads in an hour and is fully integrated with the factory’s central conveying system.

“Completed pallet loads are then transported to the distribution centre.”

Mr Wilson added the investment will enable the firm to save up to £190,000 every year in labour costs, adding it is looking to spend a further £500,000 on a gas-powered generator, in a bid to use waste heat from the equipment.

The company previously opened a 100,000sq ft distribution hub in a £7m expansion at Dalton Airfield, which bosses at the time said would improve operations and provide an opportunity to recruit up to 50 workers over a five-year period.

The company began in 1923 as Page Feeds to supply the farming community.

Formerly known as Wagg Foods, it brands itself as the UK’s largest independent dry pet food producer, supplying meals and treats for dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters under the Wagg and Harringtons names.