Job losses in the pipeline at Uffculme mill as company seeks move (From Mid Devon Star)

Job losses in the pipeline at Uffculme mill as company seeks move

8:00pm Friday 13th July 2012 in Devon By Michael Marsh

SEVERAL jobs are facing the axe at a Mid Devon feed mill after its operator announced its intention to relocate.

AB Agri, which took over the Uffculme mill last year, has told of its proposals to move to Kingsmill Industrial Estate in Cullompton, where it owns another site.

Now, the firm is consulting with 14 people who are at risk of losing their jobs, a statement said.

The Star understands that bosses held a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the way forward.

“We are proposing to withdraw our manufacturing operations from Uffculme Mill and relocate this activity to our existing facility in Cullompton,” a statement read.

“We are currently in consultation with 14 employees who may be at risk of redundancy as a result of this announcement, but the business will seek to minimise this number by exploring re-deployment opportunities wherever possible.

“Until this consultation period has been completed we will be unable to comment further.”

The company currently employs 62 people across the Bridge Street and Cullompton mills, which produce agricultural feed for animals across the UK.

Mid Devon district councillor Diane Brandon, who represents Uffculme, said the announcement was a blow to the village.

She said: “We’ve been assured that we’ll be kept up to date every step of the way. I understand there was a meeting on Tuesday, so hopefully we’ll know more soon.

“We don’t want any jobs to go, especially with a large number of people in the village already on benefits – we don’t want that number to rise.”

Despite the bad news, Cllr Brandon said she would understand if some people living next to the mill welcomed the reduction in the number of large lorries travelling through – as many as 80 per day.

She said: “Given the noise, some people might welcome the reduction, but who knows what will happen with the site in the future?

“It might come round again to a company which operates even more lorries.”