No way back for Milk Link as Kirkcudbright creamery closes

Jul 1 2009 by Julie Watt, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

HOPE ran out for 121 employees in Kirkcudbright this week after Milk Link bosses confirmed proposals to end production at its creamery in the town will be implemented.

The decision was made at a fourth joint consultation meeting on Friday which was attended by the company’s operational director Mark Robertson and employee representatives.

The meeting was part of an ongoing 90-day consultation with employees regarding the proposal to cease operations at Kirkcudbright.

A spokesman for the dairy manufacturer Milk Link said: “At the end of the meeting it was confirmed that after exhaustive discussions regarding the reasons for the closure that the company’s proposal will be implemented.”

The company will now focus on ways in which the impact of the closure can be minimised on employees.

A Milk Link spokesman added: “This will include, among other things, looking at opportunities for employees to transfer to other Milk Link operations and the offering of training to broaden their skills base.”

Dumfries and Galloway MP Russell Brown, who held talks with a senior company official a week before Friday’s announcement said: “The confirmation of Milk Link’s intention to close the Kirkcudbright site represents a massive blow for the workforce and the local economy, although it comes as no surprise given that in my own talks with the firm they were clear that they believe the commercial case for closure is strong.”

The closure of the dairy will take place in two phases with 60 members of staff bring made redundant in November, and the rest leaving in January.

Work will be transferred to the firm’s Crediton dairy in Devon with potential for 27 jobs to be made available at a sister site in Lockerbie or even at Devon.

Mr Brown added: “Milk Link assured me that there would be opportunities for workers to transfer to jobs elsewhere in the firm and that they will support people looking to retrain to help find alternative local employment.

“I will be seeking further talks with Milk Link to ensure they will work proactively with workers to deliver this commitment.”

Billy Middleton, the senior shop steward at the creamery in Kirkcudbright, was unavailable for comment this week but has said in the past that the decision to close the factory was not just devastating for the factory but for the town as a whole.

Milk Link said it would work closely with external organisations and Government support agencies to ensure everything possible is done to mitigate the impact on the Kirkcudbright staff.