Vion has announced investments at its Bavaria plants

A restructure at meat processor Vion’s Bavarian plants could see jobs go at two of its sites “in the long-term”.

The firm said it is making a “multi-million” euro investment in its Bavarian processing plants. Almost half of the investments will focus on the expansion of the slaughter- and cutting plant in Landshut, Bavaria. Processing capacity is expected to double to 21,000 pigs per week.

In Vilshofen specialist pork slaughterhouse “millions more” will be invested to install equipment that will optimise processing efficiencies. Vion is also investing in the Waldkraiburg plant.

As a result of the investments “it is envisaged that in the long-term, the business locations at Straubing and Pfarrkirchen will close. It is also planned to close the beef processing plant at Leutkirch, with cattle being re-directed to the Buchloe and Crailsheim operations,” the firm said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Vion told just-food the closures are expected “in the middle of 2015”. They declined to share information about the number of job-cuts the firm may make.

Waldkraiburg to become Vion’s largest beef plant, and pork processing capacity to double at Landshut

19 | AUG | 2014

Vion Food is to make a multi-million euro investment in its Bavarian processing plants. Just weeks after CEO Michiel Herkemij, COO Beef Bernd Stage and COO Pork Godert Tegelberg, had announced Vion’s new strategy,  expansion plans for its German operations at Waldkraiburg, Landshut and Vilshofen are being implemented.  

Almost half of the investments will focus on the expansion of the slaughter- and cutting plant  in Landshut, Bavaria. Completion of the project in mid-2015 will see processing capacity almost double to 21,000 pigs per week. In Vilshofen, another specialist pork slaughterhouse in Bavaria, millions more will be invested to install state-of-the-art  equipment, that will optimize processing efficiencies. Vion assumes that the parties of the minority shareholder, producer association Südostbayern eG, will also approve the investments in Landshut and Vilshofen.

Landshut and Vilshofen are key regional pork businesses for Vion and are important for the export market. At the same time, Vion is to invest in the Waldkraiburg plant in Upper Bavaria. This will become the largest beef plant within Vion, with capacity increasing from 3,000 to 4,500 cattle per week.

Pig processing will focus on the Landshut and Vilshofen sites and the Waldkraiburg plant will become the largest beef plant. As a result, it is envisaged that in the long-term, the business locations at Straubing  and Pfarrkirchen will close. It is also planned to close the beef processing plant at  Leutkirch, with cattle being re-directed to the Buchloe and Crailsheim operations.  

Original source: Vion