Seinäjoki, Finland, 2011-01-26 08:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atria Plc Company Announcement, 26 January 2011 at 9.00 am
Atria invests approximately 26 million euros in building and renovating the Kauhajoki bovine slaughterhouse and cutting plant. New production facilities will be built in Kauhajoki, and the existing production facilities will be renovated and automated using the latest production technology. Atria will also buy the shares of Kauhajoen Teurastamokiinteistöt Oy (Kauhajoki slaughterhouse property) from Itikka Co-operative. The purchase price is approximately EUR 7 million.
At the same time, a programme to increase the efficiency of bovine slaughter and cutting operations and bring down the excess capacity in slaughtering is launched. Bovine slaughtering and cutting at the Kuopio facility will be transferred to the Kauhajoki slaughterhouse. Modern slaughtering and cutting capacity is being constructed in Kauhajoki. It will be completed by the end of 2012.Atria’s bovine slaughterhouses are getting technologically outdated, and significant investments in machinery and the premises are required to improve efficiency.
The annual cost savings from the efficiency improvement programme are estimated at EUR 6 million.
Atria has negotiated with Saarioinen Oy a co-operation contract on the slaughtering of cattle located in Eastern Finland at Saarioinen’s Jyväskylä slaughterhouse.
The employer-employee negotiations with the Kuopio personnel have been completed.Carrying out the efficiency improvement programme means the reduction of approximately 120 man-years by the end of 2012.An agreement has been made with the personnel in the employer-employee negotiations about a support package from Atria to those who are left without work in the efficiency improvement programme. The personnel of the Kuopio bovine slaughterhouse will be offered for example the chance to relocate to other Atria facilities.
For further information, please contact Matti Tikkakoski, President and CEO, tel. +358 50 2582.
ATRIA PLC
Matti Tikkakoski
President and CEO
DISTRIBUTION
Nasdaq OMX Helsinki Ltd
Principal media
www.atriagroup.com