| It was announced yesterday that the Patak’s factory in West Pitkerro, which produces frozen meals for supermarkets, is to close with 60 redundancies.
Workers were told that, due to the rising costs of chicken and rice, the plant will close in March with all jobs lost.
The news is the latest in a long line of job cuts in the Dundee manufacturing sector. In December the Wood Group and Lomax Mobility revealed they were to close their factories in the city.
These blows followed major jobs losses at NCR earlier in the year. The US-owned firm announced in January 2007 it was to lay off 650 workers at its Gourdie manufacturing plant, with work switching to Hungary.
In August, plumbing fittings company IBP Conex Ltd announced all 66 of its Dundee jobs were to go to Poland.
But unlike the circumstances in those cases, Patak’s have stressed production is to cease completely and the jobs are not being moved abroad.
A spokesperson for Associated British Foods, who bought the firm last May, told the Tele industry pressures simply meant the company could not go on. “It is a shrinking market,” he said.
“People who eat frozen food want it as cheap as possible. This, and the fact the business has experienced exceptional increases in raw material prices, means it is just not viable any more.
“The actual production of frozen food will cease — the pressure of cost is too much.”
The spokesperson stressed the decision has not been taken lightly and that the company explored “a number of options” in an attempt to maintain production at the site.
They have also begun a 30-day consultation period with those affected by the redundancies.
The factory, formerly known as Top Hat Foods, has a turbulent history.
Workers first faced job cuts in 1997 when the company was bought over by Kirpac Ltd and its sister company Patak (Spices) Ltd.
Dundee-based MSP Marlyn Glen said, “This is dreadful news in a bad week for jobs in Dundee.
“I have written again to Scottish Enterprise Minister Jim Mather on the need to direct more jobs to Dundee. The Scottish Government must be seen to be intervening to assist the city.”
Dundee East MSP Stewart Hosie said he would be meeting with UK Business Minister Stephen Timms to discuss the latest Dundee job losses.
He said, “Yesterday’s announcement from Patak is a bitter disappointment.
“I am gutted for the workforce at the West Pitkerro site.
“It makes the anticipated meeting with the UK Business Minister Stephen Timms all the more urgent. My staff have been in contact with Patak today and we plan to visit the site next week.” |
