Tulip, the UK arm of meat co-op Danish Crown, today (16 January) announced it may close its site in Birkenhead on the Wirral.

The company said it has been working to try and address operational and technical issues at the loss-making site since it acquired it in 2011.

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Peter Judge, chief operating officer at Tulip, said: “I do appreciate that today’s announcement will come as a massive blow to everyone who has worked so hard to try and make the business a success, however the harsh reality is that there are a number of very serious operational and technical issues at the Tranfoods site and it would require significant investment to bring the Abbey Street facility up to the manufacturing standards of the rest of the Tulip Group.

“Given the current over-capacity in the market and the prevailing economic climate we do not believe there is a viable alternative other than the proposed closure of the site.”

Judge added that consultations with employees will now take place.

In November the company announced it was investing GBP20m (US$31.8m) to increase capacity at its Ashton and Spalding sites.

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