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Date set for jam factory’s final closure
by Emilene Coventry12/ 3/2008
DROYLSDEN’S historic Robertson’s jam factory closes its doors for the final time in July this year.
It will be exactly a year since new owners Premier Foods announced plans to axe 253 jobs from the Ashton Hill Lane site.
The firm took over James Robertson and Sons – which has been at Droylsden since 1890 – in March when they bought out its parent company RHM for £2bn.
It produces curds, preserves and marmalade.
Factories at Wythenshawe and Middlewich will also close – a total loss of 655 jobs across Greater Manchester.
Most of the manufacturing will be moved to Premier Food’s other sites in the south of the UK.
Mick Chalmers of Unite said the union had fought to keep the factory open.
He said: "We were disappointed at the outcome. Premier Foods have looked to redeploy as many as they can in the organisation.
"What we’ve done is put in some outplacement support, training people in skills like CV writing and how to find further employment."
When Premier Foods announced the shock closure, Tameside Council, Denton MP Andrew Gwynne and workers’ unions all condemned the move.
In a statement, the firm said it had "reviewed its combined manufacturing facilities to ensure they best met the needs of the company’s extensive brand portfolio and its future growth ambitions".
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13/03/2008 at 09:47