Praise for South Yorkshire print firm Bluetree's new £18m face mask manufacturing division

John Healey visited Bluetree Group in Manvers, Rotherham, and praised bosses for quickly switching skills and staff to making PPE in the pandemic and going on to establish a medical division.

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Bluetree claims to be the first UK manufacturer of IIR surgical facemasks. It also makes transparent masks to make communication easier, especially in hospitals and for the one in eight British people who have hearing loss.

Mr Healey, who has been wearing one on the front bench in the Commons, said: “Bluetree is a local manufacturing success story. I’m impressed by how quickly they have been able to establish the medical division of their business.”

Bluetree Group has invested more than £18m to establish a facemask line, an onsite laboratory and in-house production of Meltblown, the filtration component of face masks.

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The firm has also launched a fast-track graduate recruitment programme to tap into local talent in the North. It is looking for five ‘local graduates’ to a year-long management programme that will combine management training sessions with hands-on, practical experience and build skills in change management, communication and team-building.

Co-CEO of Bluetree, James Kinsella, said: “This programme is for graduates who aren’t afraid of a challenge and who are excited about building a career in a business that thrives on innovation.”

Bluetree Group has a 700,000-strong customer base, ranging from sole traders to the NHS, and an annual turnover in excess of £50m. Founded in 1989, it is a two-time Virgin Sunday Times Fast Track 100-ranked business.

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Thank you. Nancy Fielder, editor.