Dearing Plastics Limited

Cadbury Chocolate Moneyboxes

One of the most popular products made by Humbrol is coming back to Hull in a move that is set to create jobs.

Dearing Plastics has won the contract to produce the Cadbury Chocolate Moneyboxes for the second time.

Dearing, which made more than a million of the red boxes during its last contract with the now-collapsed Hull company Humbrol, has appointed a consultancy firm to help it fill up to 20 jobs that will be created.

Director Andy Harris said: "This is great news for the Hull area at a time when jobs are being lost at a number of large local employers.

"Dearing expects to recruit up to 20 full and part-time jobs and has appointed Associated Recruitment Consultants Ltd to handle this exercise.

"It's going to be an exciting time for Dearing. We're more than capable of meeting the challenge."

For four years Dearing made the product for Hull-based Humbrol, which was most famous for its Airfix products.

More than one million of the red boxes were made at Dearing's plant in National Avenue, west Hull, and the company redesigned the boxes to make them more cost-effective.

But in 2005, Humbrol decided the product would be made by its French-based sister company, Heller. Last year Heller went into insolvency and the resulting supply problems forced Humbrol into administration.

In November, model train-maker Hornby bought many Humbrol brands, including Airfix, from administrator Grant Thornton.

Dearing entered negotiations with Hornby and soon won the contract to make the products.

Nick Cole, general manager at Hornby, said: "It was clear from the start that Dearing is a very professional company and we have total confidence in its ability and the management team to deliver within the agreed timescales."