US chicken manufacturer Pilgrim’s Pride has confirmed it will phase out production at its Chattanooga poultry processing plant in Tennessee resulting in around 200 job cuts.
The company last year cut around 85 jobs from the facility in Tennessee as part of streamlining measures at the company.
A spokesperson for the firm said today that Pilgrim’s has consolidated the production of certain products to alternate locations to “capture efficiencies”. As a result, the prepared foods plant and cold storage will be phased out of production at the Chattanooga plant, the company said.
“Over the last several months, we have reduced staffing at the prepared plant in steps, giving us the ability to offer all affected employees a position at our debone or processing facility,” the spokesperson said. “We anticipate a reduction of some 200 positions once the process is complete, however during this process we have actually added almost 40 positions and may add more as we continue the transition.”
Pilgrim’s said it is “committed to the success” of its two remaining Chattanooga operations. The company has slaughter operations and deboning facilities in the region.
“Transferring the small production lines to alternate facilities has made our Chattanooga operations stronger and more competitive in the marketplace for the long term.”
