Müller Wiseman is considering closing two Scottish depots on the grounds retailers increasingly want milk supplied through regional distribution centres rather than directly to stores.
The company this week kicked off 45-day consultation periods with workers at its Whitburn and Keith sites, where a respective 116 and 25 jobs are on the line. Separately, it is also putting a further 15 administrative and management roles in areas such as finance and HR under review, as part of efforts to improve efficiency.
If the depots closed, Müller Wiseman said it would consider transferring some distribution roles to its depots in Aberdeen and Cambuslang, where up to 103 posts could be created.
Müller Wiseman Dairies MD Carl Ravenhall said the company needed to adapt to changes in its customers’ needs, and larger volumes of milk were increasingly being delivered to RDCs instead of stores. “We operate in a very competitive environment and it is important that our structure reflects the current and future needs of the business,” he said.
If Keith and Whitburn closed, Müller Wiseman would be left with 12 depots. The company does not disclose which customers are served through which depots, or how much milk volume is handled by each.
Usdaw national officer John Gorle said: “We’re shocked by this announcement and will be working closely with the company to look at all of the options short of compulsory redundancy.”
Source
Julia Glotz
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