Fewer jobs at new cheese warehouse

Nine of the 135 jobs at FrieslandCampina in Gerkesklooster will disappear on 1 November 2015 as a result of the new, highly automated cheese warehouse becoming operational. This will also reduce the need for temporary staff. FrieslandCampina’s employees were informed of this on 20 January 2015. The group’s Social Plan will apply. The new cheese warehouse is being built on the site of the old warehouse, which burned down together with a part of the brine plant on 29 July 2014. The construction design incorporates all the latest technological facilities and, by being much more flexible and efficient, will allow FrieslandCampina to respond to the market more effectively. The automation of many processes means that the nature of the work done by the employees at the warehouse will change substantially. The construction is expected to be completed by November 2015. According to Plant Manager Derrien Jansen, “We very much regret that we are going to have to let go some of our colleagues, certainly after all we have been through together in recent months. For this reason, we will be doing everything possible to limit any adverse effects of this change for them.”  The employees affected are covered by FrieslandCampina’s Social Plan and so will be helped to find another job within or outside FrieslandCampina.