Nestlé plan to close coffee factory in Hayes puts 230 jobs at risk

Date: 17 January 2012

Nestlé has announced its intention to close its coffee making factory at Hayes in Middlesex putting 230 jobs at risk.

The company has unveiled a £200 million plan to extend its Nescafé factory in Tutbury, Derbyshire, a move that will create 125 new jobs there but will eventually lead to coffee production being moved from Hayes to the newly extended site in 2014.

In a statement to staff, Nestlé says it is not feasible to redevelop the Hayes site to create the manufacturing facility it needs for the future, adding it hoped as many employees as possible would remain with the company.

John Gorle, Usdaw National Officer said:

"This is absolutely devastating news for all the workers at Hayes, not all of whom would be able to move to Derbyshire even if the option was a remotely practical possibility for them."

"Usdaw will be making sure a robust consultation process is put in place so that we can examine Nestlé's business case in detail and explore every possible alternative to closure."

"Usdaw will be doing everything we can to represent and support our members through this very difficult period."

Notes for Editors:

1. Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK's fourth biggest and fastest growing trade union with over 410,000 members. Membership has increased by more than 17% in the last five years and by nearly a third in the last decade. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.