Confectionery giant The Wrigley Company has marked the 60th year of production at its Asquith factory in Australia.
Skittles, Juicy Fruit, Extra and Eclipse are among the popular sweets created in Wrigley’s factory in Sydney’s Upper North Shore.
“As we celebrate this important milestone, I’d like to thank the many people who have worked here over the last six decades. It’s our associates who have made this site the successful and vibrant Australian manufacturing hub that it is. We are incredibly proud to be a member of the Asquith community, and I can’t wait to see what the next sixty years brings,” Wrigley general manager, Andrew Loader, said in a statement
The Asquith factory opened in 1958 and Wrigley has invested over A$80 million into the sweets factory over the years. The factory added an energy efficient warehouse; a 540,000L rainwater harvesting system; and upgraded its production equipment expanding production capacity.
Over the years, the Wrigley factory has consistently been recognised as one of Australia’s best places to work. It was named the top manufacturer in the 2018 Great Place to Work Awards, along with its sister company Mars Australia.
Wrigley’s associates have worked at the Michigan Ave factory for decades, including some of its family members. One of them is Ross Hannaford, Wrigley’s technical manager, who worked at the confectionery company for 36 years. His sons, Cameron and Gavin, have also joined him at the sweets business working as associates.
“For every associate, there’s real pride in what we do. We are asked to run the factory like it’s our own business, so there is lots of autonomy and responsibility – which makes for a caring environment with a lot of mutual trust and respect,” said Ross.
“The business invests in you and your development, allowing you to grow and lead. It’s one of the reasons why I encouraged both my sons to work here. One has been here for eight years, and the other for two years. My eldest is currently undergoing management training to start moving toward managing a team. I’m excited to see what’s in store for their careers.”
Wrigley is owned by global FMCG giant Mars. Its other confectionery products include Starburst, Hubba Bubba and P.K. It’s oldest bubblegum brand is Juicy Fruit, which has a heritage of over 100 years in Australia.
