Jus-Rol factory stops production with loss of 265 jobs

Production moved overseas after General Mills, owner of Jus-Rol, said it needed to consolidate production to “address excess capacity”. The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) described the job losses as “devastating”, as the company began to close the factory.

Jus-Rol, which was Berwick’s biggest employer, gave staff severance and transition benefits after the factory was closed.

‘A very sad and devastating time’

Usdaw divisional officer for Scotland Lawrence Wason told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “This is a very sad and devastating time for the workers and the people of Berwick. This factory had a proud and distinguished history in the town and has provided employment here since the early 1960s.

“Usdaw has been in talks with the company since it announced its plans to transfer the work abroad in October last year and despite our best efforts that is what has happened. It is the end of an era for the town and another blow for the local economy.”

Reducing the impact on employees

Jus-Rol thanked its Berwick employees for their service after production stopped. It said it had focused on reducing the impact on employees since the closure announcement earlier this year.

A Jus-Rol spokesman said: ““We would like to thank all of our employees for their service over the years.

“Leaving Berwick has not been an easy decision or one that we have taken lightly and we wish the town and its community all good things in the future.”