Automation threatens 80 jobs at Pork Farms

Pork Farms has warned that it will slash around 80 jobs at its Queens Drive site in Nottingham, as plans get underway to invest millions of pounds in automation.

The completion of the commissioning of a £11M investment into the infrastructure and equipment at Queens Drive, together with improved working processes, has released capacity at the site, according to a spokeswoman for Pork Farms.
“In order to complete our modernisation programme, and in light of a continued difficult trading outlook, we have started a 30-day consultation programme to reduce the workforce further,” she said.
The move comes after a consultation period was launched in May 2009, appealing to around 120 employees to take voluntary redundancy. Since then, only 37 employees have opted for the package, so the company is looking to make a further 80 employees redundant.
“For some time we have been discussing with our representatives from Unite T&G, the required staffing levels to run the business in the short-, medium- and long-term that will help us to optimise the capacity at the factory and put Queens Drive in a strong position for the future,” said the spokeswoman.
Unite T&G said that it was disappointed by the decision but was hoping that some of the employees could be moved to other posts.
Pork Farms has locations in Nottingham, Market Drayton and Shaftesbury. It produces pork pies, pastries and scotch eggs.