Pilgrim's Pride Announces Consolidation Plans
Pilgrim's Pride Corporation plans to consolidate the tray-pack chicken business from its El Dorado, Ark., processing plant into six other case-ready facilities. Following the transition, which is expected to be completed within 60 days, the El Dorado facility will operate as a supply plant.
Approximately 600 of the 1,215 positions at the El Dorado plant will be eliminated by September 19, 2008. Most of the positions eliminated will be hourly jobs in chicken processing. Contract growers and employees in live operations will not be affected. Pilgrim's Pride will provide transition programs to employees whose positions are eliminated to assist them in securing new employment, filing for unemployment and other applicable benefits.
"Since March, we have been conducting a thorough review of all our production facilities to ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible in response to the unprecedented challenges facing our company and our industry," says Clint Rivers, Pilgrim's Pride president and chief executive officer.
Approximately 600 of the 1,215 positions at the El Dorado plant will be eliminated by September 19, 2008. Most of the positions eliminated will be hourly jobs in chicken processing. Contract growers and employees in live operations will not be affected. Pilgrim's Pride will provide transition programs to employees whose positions are eliminated to assist them in securing new employment, filing for unemployment and other applicable benefits.
"Since March, we have been conducting a thorough review of all our production facilities to ensure we are operating as efficiently as possible in response to the unprecedented challenges facing our company and our industry," says Clint Rivers, Pilgrim's Pride president and chief executive officer.