Poultry producer, Inghams Group, is to scale back its value-added meat processing facilities in Queensland while expanding the capacity of its three other plants in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
Plans to consolidate its four further processing facilities down to three during the next eight months will see a considerable increase in activity at the Edinburgh Parks site in South Australia.
Once complete, volumes currently processed at Cleveland on Brisbane’s eastern Moreton Bay outskirts will be absorbed into the other plants.
Inghams’ further processing plants in Australia produce cooked and frozen products for customers across a range of channels including retail, quick service restaurant and food service.
The company has insisted the $5 million restructuring will enhance its overall service for customers and it does not represent a downgrading of its overall activities in Queensland.
“Ingham’s is confident redeployment options for the vast majority of Cleveland employees will be available in our other operations in Queensland,” a company statement said.
Queensland remains an important national production hub reflected by Ingham’s recent investment in a distribution centre, new laboratories and a second feedmill
- Inghams Group
“A range of resources will be provided to support employees through the transition.”
Alternative options for the Cleveland facility will be considered during the next few months, however the site is not expected to be sold.
“Queensland remains an important national production hub reflected by Ingham’s recent investment in a distribution centre, new laboratories and a second feedmill to support our primary processing and farming operations,” the company said.
The Cleveland site was expected to remain within the national network in some capacity.
The consolidation will be progressively implemented during the 2018-19 financial year with full benefits expected to be realised in 2019-20.
The company said the initiative, part of its Project Accelerate efficiency and expansion drive, would lead to increased employment across the all three plants and increased throughput volumes, particularly in SA.
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