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14-01-2009, 12:32 PM
NINETY jobs face being cut when a pork processing company closes an abattoir.
Dalehead Foods, part of the Tulip group, said more than a quarter of employees would lose their jobs at the plant in Cambridge Road, Linton, which employs 385 staff.
Management have entered into consultation with employees to identify "any viable alternatives" to the proposed closure.
John Hughes, managing director, said: "There is no getting away from the fact that this is very disappointing news for everyone associated with the Linton site.
"However, I can assure you that it is in no way a reflection on the skill and dedication of the workforce.
"We have previously explored the possibility of building a new abattoir at Linton at a projected cost of £18 million, but given the spare capacity at Tulip's modern abattoir in Spalding, it no longer makes commercial sense to do so."
He added: "Our priority now is to work with the employees in the affected areas of the business to do whatever we can to lessen the potential impact.
"I must stress, however, that the proposed closure of the abattoir will not affect our growing sausage, value added and retail packing operation at Linton, where it will be business as usual."
Cllr John Batchelor, who represents Linton on South Cambs district and Cambs county councils, said: "This is a blow and it's the credit crunch coming home to Linton.
"It's the biggest local business by far, people are losing their jobs and that's never good news but I welcome the fact that the plant is not closing."
Tulip Ltd is the largest producer of pork products in the UK and currently operates 21 factories across the country and employs around 8,000 workers.
It supplies a wide range of branded and private label pork and bacon products to the retail and food service sectors.
Dalehead is one of three divisions of Tulip in the UK and the Linton site was purchased in 1983.
Dalehead has sites in Bury St Edmunds and Stradbroke in Suffolk and Corsham in Wiltshire.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=380791
Dalehead Foods, part of the Tulip group, said more than a quarter of employees would lose their jobs at the plant in Cambridge Road, Linton, which employs 385 staff.
Management have entered into consultation with employees to identify "any viable alternatives" to the proposed closure.
John Hughes, managing director, said: "There is no getting away from the fact that this is very disappointing news for everyone associated with the Linton site.
"However, I can assure you that it is in no way a reflection on the skill and dedication of the workforce.
"We have previously explored the possibility of building a new abattoir at Linton at a projected cost of £18 million, but given the spare capacity at Tulip's modern abattoir in Spalding, it no longer makes commercial sense to do so."
He added: "Our priority now is to work with the employees in the affected areas of the business to do whatever we can to lessen the potential impact.
"I must stress, however, that the proposed closure of the abattoir will not affect our growing sausage, value added and retail packing operation at Linton, where it will be business as usual."
Cllr John Batchelor, who represents Linton on South Cambs district and Cambs county councils, said: "This is a blow and it's the credit crunch coming home to Linton.
"It's the biggest local business by far, people are losing their jobs and that's never good news but I welcome the fact that the plant is not closing."
Tulip Ltd is the largest producer of pork products in the UK and currently operates 21 factories across the country and employs around 8,000 workers.
It supplies a wide range of branded and private label pork and bacon products to the retail and food service sectors.
Dalehead is one of three divisions of Tulip in the UK and the Linton site was purchased in 1983.
Dalehead has sites in Bury St Edmunds and Stradbroke in Suffolk and Corsham in Wiltshire.
http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=380791