Food manufacturer re-opening factory with 75 new recruits

Jun 20 2008 by Andrew Mernin, The Journal

A FOOD manufacturer which closed one of its North East plants two years ago is finally set to re-open the factory and is looking to fill 75 new positions by the end of the year.

Last January, Irish food firm Kerry Foods revealed plans to re-open its Hartlepool plant, which it had closed in June 2006, and said it would begin recruiting for 100 positions from April.

The company has since closed its neighbouring Sunderland factory – with around 25 workers opting to transfer to Hartlepool – and is now actively recruiting to get Hartlepool up to full capacity by the year end.

The remaining 30 people at the culinary ingredients plant in Sunderland opted for voluntary redundancy and currently around 12 of them have found new jobs.

The Hartlepool factory was closed in 2006, with the loss of 320 jobs at the Brenda Road plant, after a slump in production volume.

The company, which also has a cooked meats, snacks and fillings operation in Durham, yesterday said it was committed to a long-term future in the North East. Frank Hayes, director of corporate affairs, said: “We had a plan which we evaluated some time ago but the problem with it is that it only takes effect on a slow basis.

“We are transporting things from Sunderland and starting up a new culinary ingredients operation in Hartlepool. You can’t transfer things overnight and production has not started yet. Between now and year end, we will be transferring operations there.”

The firm has now begun advertising for production and warehouse operatives and multi-skilled engineers.

Last October, Kerry Foods axed 65 jobs at its Durham factory after scrapping its poorly-performing ready meals line.

The company still employs around 100 people at the plant and this year’s restructuring of the firm has no effect on the Durham operation, which is part of a separate division to the culinary ingredients made in Hartlepool.