Muller Wiseman to close two Scottish depots
DO NOT USE OLD BRANDING Muller Wiseman Dairies has confirmed it will close two of its Scottish depots by the end of the year.
Following a strategic review and formal 45-day consultation process, the processor has confirmed it will close two sites – Keith in Banffshire and Whitburn in West Lothian.
The closure will affect 23 jobs at Keith and 116 at Whitburn, but the company hopes to create at least 81 new posts when it transfers distribution to depots in Aberdeen (13 posts) and Cambuslang (68 posts).
“Employees, management and unions worked extremely hard to find ways of addressing the challenges facing these depots, but we have been unable to establish an economic basis for continuing to distribute milk from Keith or Whitburn,” said managing director Carl Ravenhall.
“We very much regret the effect this decision will have on these areas, but we have to adapt to changes in the way fresh milk is being distributed. It is our hope that colleagues based at Keith and Whitburn will consider taking up positions that will be created in Aberdeen and Cambuslang.”
The news comes in the same week that Arla Foods announced plans to close its dairy and distribution centre at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, with the aim of transferring production to its new Aylesbury processing site in Buckinghamshire.