Müller UK production plan puts jobs at risk

Müller has warned up to 90 roles are at risk at a site in England under plans to reshape the former Yew Tree Dairy site, Just Food reports.

In a statement yesterday (13 January), the German-owned dairy group said it is “investing significantly” at the site in Skelmersdale to “further strengthen its position as a major producer and exporter of powdered milk products”.

A new logistics hub is planned for which Müller is looking to recruit up to 90 jobs.

As part of the plan, the site in Lancashire would become “a centre of excellence for milk balancing, strengthening its role in securing supply chain resilience and supporting the wider dairy industry”, Müller said.

However, the plans for the overall site may mean it no longer produces fresh milk and cream. As a consequence, up to 90 jobs are at risk of redundancy, Müller added. The final number of redundancies will depend on the outcome of a consultation process.

Rob Hutchison, the CEO of the Müller Milk & Ingredients division, said: “We’re confident in the plans underway and the future developments we’re working on at Müller Skelmersdale – initiatives that will strengthen our position and deliver benefits across the entire dairy supply chain.”

In July, Müller said it was injecting £45m ($60.2m) into the Skelmersdale site to “enhance” liquid milk production capacity and to “create a flagship” plant for milk drying.

Hutchison added: “Change is never easy, and consultations can be unsettling. We take this process seriously and will carefully consider every option before making decisions.”

Under the plans, the logistics hub would be able to accommodate up to 65 milk collection vehicles working with farmers daily. The jobs created take in positions including drivers, driver trainers, vehicle technicians and support staff.