Daniel Thwaites, the Lancashire brewer and pub operator, has announced plans to restructure its brewing, packaging and engineering operations with the possible loss of 25 jobs.
The company said the move is in response to the loss of a number of packaging contracts and increased customer pressure to reduce costs; Thwaites' contract to provide brewing and bottling services for BrewDog ended in December, for example.
The proposed restructure will mean Thwaites ceases contract packaging, aside from a small number of legacy agreements that will run the course of their contracts.
Under the plan, 25 jobs would be lost from the brewing and tanking room, packaging, warehousing, planning, engineering and management teams. In total 83 members of staff are involved in the consultation process and it’s intended that 58 will keep their jobs.
The proposed move would see Thwaites move from operating under multiple shifts to an extended, 12-hour single-shift operation.
There are also plans to redefine the roles of customer admin and reception, with a reduction of two jobs from a team of six.
Steve Magnall, managing director of Thwaites Beer Company, said: "It’s obviously a very difficult and upsetting time but this is very much about getting us fit for the future and having the right size and scope of team for the new brewery which will be a significant milestone in the history of our strong and successful company."
Meanwhile, Thwaites has announced changes to its stakeholder pension scheme and said it would be moving to a new pension provider. The company is consulting with employees regarding changes to its pension provisions following a review of the provisions in the light of current market conditions.
Thwaites chief executive Rick Bailey said: "These are incredibly tough times for all businesses and most companies in our sector and elsewhere are focusing on ways that they can save costs and work more efficiently, unfortunately this also includes considering job losses, which is the hardest decision to make.
"It is imperative that we continue to adapt our business to reflect changes in the market and remain competitive whilst not compromising on the quality of the beers that we brew for our customers."
