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The National
a day ago
- Business
- The National
Scotbeef Inverurie abattoir shuts doors after 100 years
The Scotbeef site in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, closed its doors on Wednesday, with the company saying the decision was necessary to protect the long-term future of the business. According to the Scottish Farmer, staff were told to go home on Wednesday, while farmers with livestock booked in were informed that their animals were no longer required. A redundancy process is now under way with staff, as Scotbeef said it would ensure all affected employees were supported. According to the BBC, up to 90 jobs have been lost. The family-owned businesses was founded in 1920 and supplies beef and lamb to UK retailers. It is a subsidiary of East Kilbride-based JW Galloway. READ MORE: Poundland 'to close 100 stores' after being sold for £1 Scotbeef has two other Scottish sites – in East Kilbride and Annan – as well as three sites south of the Border, in Sheffield, Heysham and Wolverhampton. A spokesperson for Scotbeef Inverurie said: "Despite our best efforts to address the sustained challenges within the UK meat and beef industry over the past 18 months, we have unfortunately taken the difficult decision to close our Inverurie site. "Decisions such as these are never easy, and we understand that there will be a significant impact on our staff, many of whom have shown loyalty and commitment to the business over many years. 'We are actively working with other businesses in the meat industry to identify alternative employment opportunities, as well as offering roles at other Scotbeef sites for those who may wish to relocate.'
STV News
2 days ago
- Business
- STV News
All jobs lost as abattoir closes its doors
Jobs have been lost following the closure of an abattoir in Aberdeenshire. The Scotbeef site in Inverurie closed its doors on Wednesday, with all staff members being made redundant. The job losses follow an operational review which concluded the closure was 'necessary to protect the long-term future of the business'. The company confirmed that a redundancy process is now under way with staff who have 'shown loyalty and commitment over the years'. Scotbeef, a subsidiary of East Kilbride-based JW Galloway, processes fresh beef, lamb and value-added products for leading UK and international retail markets. The business has facilities at two other Scottish locations – East Kilbride and Annan – as well as operations south of the border in Sheffield, Heysham and Wolverhampton. A spokesperson for Scotbeef said: 'Despite our best efforts to address the sustained challenges within the UK meat and beef industry over the past 18 months, we have unfortunately taken the difficult decision to close our Inverurie site. 'This follows a comprehensive operational review which concluded that closure is necessary to protect the long-term future of the business. 'Decisions such as these are never easy, and we understand that there will be a significant impact on our staff, many of whom have shown loyalty and commitment to the business over many years. A redundancy process is now under way, and we shall ensure that all affected employees are fully supported throughout this period.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Press and Journal
2 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Scotbeef shuts historic Inverurie abattoir
Meat processor Scotbeef has shut its historic abattoir in Inverurie. The owners have cited 'sustained challenges' to the business. They said the closure was necessary to protect the long-term future of Scotbeef. Staff were reportedly told to go home today, with farmers being told their livestock was no longer required. Scotbeef is a subsidiary of East Kilbride-based JW Galloway. Its processing sites manufacture fresh beef, lamb and value-added products for leading UK and international retail markets. Scotbeef also has facilities at two other Scottish locations – East Kilbride and Annan – as well as operations south of the border in Sheffield, Heysham and Wolverhampton. Other sites in Bridge of Allan and Glasgow have been sold by the firm in recent years. It is not known yet how many staff are impacted by the closure in Inverurie, where there has been an abattoir on North Street for about 100 years. Neither Scotbeef nor JW Galloway have responded to our calls. The move follows a steep decline in processing activity at the Aberdeenshire site. In recent times just a few hundred cattle have been processed there some weeks, a fraction of the total capacity. Industry insiders have blamed a price war between processors for putting Scottish abattoirs under severe pressure. In accounts lodged at Companies House earlier this year, Scotbeef said it was facing labour shortages and industry pay rate challenges. Plans for a replacement abattoir in the area have been on hold for years. In 2023, Aberdeenshire councillors backed plans to demolish the existing abattoir to make way for 50 new homes. A previous proposal to build 77 homes on the site was given the go-ahead back in 2019. Now, closure for the existing site would appear to scupper any prospect of the abattoir being relocated to ANM Group's Thainstone Business Park, as was previously proposed. Gordon and Buchan Conservative MP Harriet Cross said: 'This closure is deeply concerning and is a blow to livestock farmers across the north-east. Abattoirs such as that in Inverurie are crucial to the food supply chain and the wider agricultural sector. 'But across the country, they are being driven out of business at an alarming rate by rising costs, regulatory pressures and a drop in livestock numbers. 'There is also an immediate human impact of all this, and my thoughts go out to the employees at Inverurie whose jobs are at risk.' The MP added: 'If both of Scotland's governments are serious about sustainability, rural jobs, and animal welfare, then more support needs to be given to abattoirs so they can survive these unprecedented challenges.'
