The £15m distribution facility will be operational in November and will ensure that fresh milk from the company’s dairy in Bridgwater, Somerset can be moved quickly and efficiently to customers in London and the south of England
The opening of the new depot at Amesbury will allow each of the company’s other distribution facilities in the region to carry out a review of local operations, and it may be that there will be some reorganisation of the facilities in Okehampton, Bridgwater and Bristol.
In Okehampton’s case, the consultation is also considering the potential scaling down of production at the site to a single shift operation. Production staff from Okehampton will be offered the opportunity to take up similar positions in production at the company’s state-of-the-art Bridgwater dairy, where the company has announced plans to increase capacity from 250 million litres to 375 million litres per annum.
In connection with those reviews, the company has commenced a consultation process with employee representatives.
“While it is our intention to continue creating new jobs in the south and southwest, each of our facilities must match our overall operational requirements going forward,” said Martyn Mulcahy, Wiseman’s group operations director. “We’re committed to consulting with staff representatives at each stage of these reviews and have pledged to minimise any job losses and will offer relocation packages to those who may be affected.”
Source: Robert Wiseman Dairies
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