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The Seafood Company has today announced it is entering a 30 day consultation on the proposed transfer of its whitefish filleting operation at Midgleys in Hull to Marsden Road in Grimsby. If the move goes ahead there would be a phased closure over 90 days with all 41 staff offered the opportunity to relocate to the Grimsby factory.
Ninety eight per cent of all fish filleted at Midgleys in Hull is supplied to Marsden Road in Grimsby for added value preparations and packaging.
Pete Ward, managing director of The Seafood Company, said:
“Against a backdrop of fuel price increases, bridge toll charges and the need to undertake capital investment in the Hull factory; the costs of transporting fish between our factories in Grimsby and Hull does not make commercial sense. In the current economic climate, the chilled fish market has become increasingly price competitive, particularly in whitefish, and we need to be in a position to compete on a level playing field with our competitors. By consolidating our operations in Marsden Road we could create a more competitive, efficient, responsive and robust supply chain.
“We hugely regret having to table this proposal. There is a significant amount of expertise amongst the workforce at Midgleys who have been loyal colleagues and, should it close, we are keen to retain as many as possible within other jobs at our Marsden Road factory. If staff are unable to relocate we will do our utmost, together with the relevant agencies, to find them alternative employment.”
Should fisheries be closed during breeding time to allow stocks to reach more sustainable levels?
