2 Sisters Food Group has confirmed it is to close its Smethwick poultry plant in the West Midlands, with the loss of more than 250 jobs.
The processor launched a 45-day consultation into the closure of the site in April, after saying the factory, which opened in 1996 and employs 630 staff, was “ageing and has significant challenges to meet the standards required by ourselves and our customers”.
The plant is one of the poultry giant’s original factories. It cuts chicken and supplies portions to retailers, other 2 Sisters sites and third party manufacturers.
2 Sisters said its decision to close the site was taken “with much regret”, but added it had “done our very best to find as many alternative roles as possible for colleagues”.
It will close on 23 June. Some 290 of the 630 staff would be redeployed to other sites in the West Midlands. 2 Sisters was currently “working hard to explore all job opportunities” for the 90 remaining staff, it said.
Trade union Unite described the site’s closure as “very disappointing”.
“However, given the company’s business case that this site was ageing and needed drastic modernisation to conform environmentally, we believe that this was the only achievable outcome,” said Unite national officer Julia Long.
“Unite always has the welfare of its members as the top priority and we are continuing to support them in the days and weeks ahead.”
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