Atria to launch an efficiency improvement programme in Finland

Atria Plc, Company Announcement, 17 March 2011, 10:00 am

Atria Finland is launching an efficiency improvement programme to achieve annual savings of approximately EUR 4 million in its cost structure. The efficiency improvement programme concerns the operations of the Nurmo production plant units. The rising prices of cereal and feed and other raw materials are causing intense pressure to increase meat raw material and food prices. In order to maintain its price competitiveness, Atria has deemed the launch of an efficiency improvement programme to be essential. The cost savings will be fully realised in 2012.

To achieve the savings, Atria plans to cut approximately 110 man‑years of labour from its Finnish operations. With production automation and the amendment in the EU directive on poultry, some production units will need to adapt the number of employees to the current production structure and production volume. Currently, some 2,100 employees work in Atria's Finnish operations. According to the plan, the decreases in personnel are to be implemented through increased part-time work, pension arrangements and redundancy packages.

Employer–employee negotiations concerning the reorganisation of operations have begun. In the course of these negotiations, Atria Finland will determine how many employees can be relocated to other parts of the organisation.

For further information, please contact Mika Ala-Fossi, Managing Director of Atria Finland Ltd, tel. +358 40 831 0342.

ATRIA PLC
Juha Gröhn
Deputy CEO

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