"We are committed to handling the closure with transparency, care, and respect," Espersen CEO Tino Bendix said.
Photo: Espersen.
In May, Espersen announced it was initiating an evaluation of its facility in Grimsby, UK. "We do not foresee that the Grimsby production site will become financially sustainable in the foreseeable future with the current business plan," Espersen CEO Tino Bendix argued at the time, without ruling out plant closure. Now, less than two months later, the Danish processing company has confirmed the news.
"The outcome of the consultation process is not the one we had hoped for, but it reflects the business reality we must address," Bendix said now. "We are grateful for the open and constructive approach from our UK team, and we will now turn our full attention to supporting them and ensuring a smooth and responsible transition."
Espersen's presence in Grimsby is ultimately going to be brief. The Danish value-added seafood producer completed the acquisition of the facility from Iceland Seafood less than two years ago, in September 2023. A few months later, in April 2024, and as part of the integration of the site, it announced some layoffs, but also "substantial investments" into production, systems, and an optimised logistic flow.
The measures, however, have not borne the expected fruit and, as said, following the formal consultation process, and after a "thorough and respectful" dialogue with employee representatives, Espersen has finally decided to close the Grimsby plant. Full cessation of production is scheduled for mid-November 2025.
Despite the closure, in the release announcing it, Espersen stressed its continued commitment to the British market. The company said it will maintain a dedicated commercial presence in the UK and will continue to serve its customers "with the same reliability, product quality, and service levels that define its brand."
"While we are exiting production in Grimsby, we remain a trusted partner to our UK customers as we have been for decades before acquiring the plant in Grimsby. We are preparing to re-establish our UK sales office to support continued growth in this important market," the CEO of Espersen said.
The Danish processing company added that it is fully committed to fulfilling all contractual obligations to its customers, so it will continue to deliver from Grimsby under existing agreements, unless early transitions are mutually agreed upon with individual customers. As mentioned above, the aim is to cease production in mid-November this year.
A cross-functional team from Espersen is now developing a detailed implementation plan for this closure, and, over the next few weeks, the company will also hold a dialogue with all its customers who receive deliveries from Grimsby. Following the decision to close its production site in the UK, this conversation will also be extended to employees.
The company stated that it is committed to managing the transition responsibly and transparently, ensuring support for affected employees. As such, it has made a dedicated HR and management team available to the approximately 115 affected employees at Grimsby. This includes outplacement assistance, one-on-one counselling, and guidance on next steps.
"We are fully aware of the impact this decision has on our colleagues and their families, and we are deeply grateful for their contribution to Espersen and dedication in this process," Tino Bendix said. "We are committed to handling the closure with transparency, care, and respect," the CEO of Espersen concluded.
