Chocolate production base expands

Dairy Milk celebrates its centenary this year

Confectionery company Cadbury is to invest £40m in a new chocolate-making facility at its Birmingham factory.

The 20,000-tonne moulding plant, due to be completed in the autumn of 2006, will include new wrapping and packing lines plus a chocolate-making area.

The firm has not said how many jobs will be created by the development at the Bournville plant.

The expansion was in response to growing demand for its Dairy Milk products, the company said.

Cadbury Trebor Bassett managing director Simon Baldry said: "It is a tremendous vote of confidence in our highly-skilled workforce."

Dairy Milk, which celebrates its centenary this year, is the number one brand in the UK with consumers buying £320m worth every year.

The announcement provides a boost to Birmingham following redundancies at car giant MG Rover, whose Longbridge base is about five miles away.