Orkla consolidates biscuits production
The Board of Directors of Orkla ASA has today decided to consolidate production of biscuits in the Group, and to build a new biscuits factory outside Riga, Latvia. This is part of the Group's strategy of consolidating production in fewer and more efficient plants.
- The new production plant will secure Orkla's future competitiveness, allowing to focus investments on new technology, increase cost effectiveness and create a stronger production platform, which will give us an exciting opportunity to create new products, offer innovations, as well as to increase export, says Ann-Beth Freuchen, Orkla Executive Vice President and CEO of Orkla Confectionery & Snacks.
Consequently, the current biscuits production operations in Kungälv and Riga will be closed down and relocated to the new factory. This change will be carried out by the end of 2022.
Biscuits are an important category for Orkla, in which the Group has strong market positions in the Nordics and Baltics and export sales.
Several different alternatives for the future production of bisquits have been considered and the final decision is to build a new factory outside of Riga. In compliance with Swedish labour law, negotiations have been in progress since January between the employee representatives at the factory in Kungälv and the management of Orkla Confectionery & Snacks Sverige.
Today, around 350 persons are employed at the plant in Kungälv. When production moves in 2022, a product development centre will remain in Kungälv.
About Orkla
Orkla is a leading supplier of branded consumer goods and concept solutions to the consumer, out-of-home and bakery markets in the Nordics, Baltics and selected markets in Central Europe and India. Orkla is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and its head office is in Oslo. In 2017, the Group had a turnover of NOK 40 billion, and approximately 18,000 employees as of 31 December 2017.
Orkla ASA
Oslo, 11 June 2018
Ref.: Dag Olav Stokken, SVP Communications, Orkla ASA
Tel. +47 916 65 078, e-mail: dag.olav.stokken@orkla.no