Espersen's factory in Grimsby, northeast Lincolnshire, UK, still sports the logo of the previous owner, Iceland Seafood. The change in appearance is one of several steps the Danish producer is currently working on to meet its standards and ensure alignment with the company's principles.
Iceland Seafood UK.
One good and one bad for Espersen employees at the Grimsby plant in the UK. The company announced "substantial investments" but also layoffs in the production areas and some vacancies that will not be renewed, affecting a total of nineteen jobs. The announcement came two months after the change in the management team of the plant the Danish processing company bought from Iceland Seafood last September.
From the time of the purchase, Espersen said that with this move it was realizing its strategic intention to establish itself in the United Kingdom, its largest single market. "This acquisition is more than just a business decision; it is a commitment to our customers, our employees and the industry," CEO Klaus B. Nielsen stated then.
"We believe that our new UK facility and its leadership team will play a critical role in shaping Espersen's future on the UK market, allowing us to serve our customers better and fortify our position as a local supplier," he added. Six months later, last March, that team handed over to the new management team when Glen Mathews stepped down as Managing Director and Stig Nielsen took the helm of the Grimsby plant.
Upon announcing the handover, the company said that Nielsen - who until then was site manager of Espersen's Hasle facility - would oversee operations in close collaboration with the site's management team and that an organizational restructuring was starting to ensure alignment with the company's principle of operating as 'One Espersen' across all locations.
There was already talk then of increased investment and resources, although nothing was mentioned yet about jobs. What was made public was the company's intention to merge the commercial team at the Grimsby site with the existing Espersen sales organization in Leeds, to create a unified and efficient operational framework.
Now, following what they define as "a period of in-depth analysis of the current organisation and the production workflow," Espersen has unveiled its next steps in the Grimsby site's integration, confirming, firstly, the merger of its sales team with that of Leeds.
In addition, the Danish value-added producer has announced "substantial investments in the Grimsby plant to improve operational efficiency." The introduction of a modern cold storage system and a fire sprinkler system are two examples of such investments that seek to prioritize the safety and efficiency of the facility. Also, full integration into Espersen's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system will be completed this year.
However, in line with organisational realignment, Espersen Grimsby has reported it will also be realigning its workforce. There will be layoffs - fifteen positions will be reduced in the production areas - but, moreover, there will be four vacancies across support functions that will not be replaced. "This difficult but necessary decision is part of streamlining the operation. Affected employees have been informed and will receive support for their transition, including mental well-being assistance," the company said in its release, in which, nevertheless, it once again stressed its commitment to the plant and the UK market.
"As the new leadership at the plant and the UK sales organisation are now being followed by considerable investments into production, systems and an optimised logistic flow, Espersen demonstrates its confidence in the Grimsby plant and the company is positive that these changes, though challenging, will lead to a more resilient future and establish a sustainable and successful operation," it concluded.
Espersen is a world leader in the production of frozen whitefish blocks, frozen fillets, specialty cuts, and luxury breaded and flaked fish products. With production plants in Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Vietnam, and now also the United Kingdom, it has representative offices in France, Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. Most of its products are custom-made private labels; however, it also has its own locally branded products.
