Work at West Lynn Del Monte stops next month
LEAP year's day, Friday, February 29, will be the final day of production at West Lynn's Del Monte factory, leaving around 80 workers facing the prospect of redundancy.
The close-down date for the factory, which supplies fruit juices and canned goods for supermarkets across the country, was confirmed yesterday.
Del Monte's UK managing director Peter Miller told the Lynn News that talks will be held over the coming days in a bid to reach a satisfactory pay settlement and paid tribute to the efforts of workers at the site.
He said: "This is not a reflection of the people who work at the factory. They are fantastic people who have done a fantastic job for a number of years in less than perfect conditions.
"The marketplace in which we operate is now dominated by the supermarket's own labels.
"The site is fairly old and needs an awful lot of investment. There are bigger and more efficient manufacturers out there and we are struggling to compete.
"Like most of these situations it does come down to economics and the numbers have made the decision for us."
Mr Miller said the factory on Bankside will be sold by the company but questions such as when, where and to who have yet to be considered.
He said Del Monte's immediate priority was to reach an agreement with staff.
Union representatives are now due on site for advanced negotiations in a bid to get the best possible deal for workers, although some unions have yet to receive confirmation of the closure date.
Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) area organiser Stuart Sharman said: "We are currently in negotiations with regards to getting a better redundancy payment than was originally offered.
"The first consultation was made in late November and we are now waiting for enhanced negotiations."
The future of the West Lynn factory came under the microscope in October, when the Lynn News reported that staff were called together and told the site could close in February or March, with the possible loss of more than 80 jobs.
Del Monte has had links with the site for decades, having been supplied by Lin Can – the former firm on the site, which was set up in the 1930s and announced its closure in 1986.
News of the West Lynn closure comes after Del Monte closed its Methwold factory in May 2006, resulting in the loss of around 230 jobs.
richard.long@lynnnews.co.uk
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