Olymel shuts down St-Hyacinthe plant
By Food in Canada Staff
Business Operations Meat &Poultry Editor pick Olymel QuebecOlymel decides to close its pork processing plant on St-Jacques street in St-Hyacinthe, Que.
The 107 employees who are still actively working in this facility’s melting, storage and packaging operations have been notified. They have received a 12-week notice of termination, in accordance with Quebec’s labour laws.
The plant will continue to operate until February 10, 2023, which is the scheduled date for the facility’s definitive closure. All employees will be offered the opportunity to be relocated to other Olymel facilities in the region.
In July, Olymel reduced the plant’s packaging operations. This reduction was preceded by a reorganization of Olymel’s workforce in the fresh pork sector, as well as a reduction in the volume of products requiring packaging. The primary processing facilities (slaughtering and cutting) are now able to cover the packaging operations previously handled in part by the St-Hyacinthe plant. The products previously stored at the St-Jacques street plant will be transferred to other internal or external distribution centres.
Additionally, given the scale of investments required to maintain the melting operations for lard production, Olymel’s management team has decided to end this activity. Going forward, the raw materials used to make lard will be sold to an external company.
“This decision ties in with the restructuring of the fresh pork sector and stems from a months-long analysis. Closing the St-Hyacinthe plant is part of the difficult, albeit necessary and responsible, measures to ensure that the fresh pork sector gets back on the road to profitability after two years of difficulties caused by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, labour shortage, market uncertainties and various other factors underlying the unfavourable economic situation. I would like to salute and thank the 107 employees affected by this decision. I assure them that everything will be done so they can be relocated and continue working for the company under the best possible conditions,” said Yanick Gervais, president and CEO of Olymel.
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