The Saskatoon meat packing giant Intercontinental Packers will close its Vancouver plant this spring and centralize operations in Saskatoon to keep up with increasingly competitive North American and global trends.
Three hundred British Columbia workers will be laid off in the move.
Company vice-chair Fred Mitchell said the consolidation is necessary because of total restructuring in the livestock production and meat processing industry.
“Our industry is facing unparalleled change. We must consolidate our operations in order to remain competitive in a very tough marketplace.”
Mitchell said Intercon, which boasts $300 million in annual sales, will continue to service B.C.
Mitchell hinted last month the company was planning a major change.
The family-owned company was in the news as members announced they patched up a bitter disagreement over control of Saskatoon’s largest private employer. The dispute pitted Fred Mitchell, Intercon’s former president and chief executive officer, against his brother, sister and mother.
