The manufacturer – which acquired the site from BRF Wrexham 12 months ago – confirmed plans to cease production at the site with workers union Unite. No new buyer has been lined up for the site.
A spokesman for Tyson Foods told Food Manufacture that the business was exploring options including discontinuing the operations or selling the Wrexham facility.
“Putting this proposal forward was a very difficult decision,” the spokesman added. It was based on a combination of factors including our ability to generate profitable growth and our need to adapt to shifting customer needs.
“We are currently consulting with our team members in Wrexham about the proposal to discontinue operations on 30 September 2020.”
Jo Goodchild, Unite Wales regional officer, said the ‘devastating news’ was the latest in a long line of large-scale redundancies in north Wales in recent months.
‘The only jobs they’ve ever known’
“This site was first opened in 1962 under Frimbo Foods and is one of the main employers in the locality of Llay in Wrexham,” said Goodchild. “Some employees have worked at the site in excess of 40 years – it is the only job they have ever had.
“Unite will do everything it can to support our members affected through these challenging times. We will assist them to access all available help with retraining through our Wales Union Learning Fund project.”
The world’s second largest processor of meat after Brazilian firm JBS, Tyson Foods was reportedly eyeing an aggressive growth agenda in the wake of its acquisition of European meat business BRF.
European presence
With the closure of the Wrexham site – one of two acquired in the BRF deal – the US-based meat firm’s only other European factory is now located in the Netherlands. It is not known how this will affect its plans for European production.
Meanwhile, new jobs at a bakery rebuilt after a blaze, 400 roles at a food logistics specialist and vacancies at fresh produce supplier AMK Fresh feature in this food and drink recruitment roundup.
