The Group is determined to have the most cost efficient VAP organisation in Europe, and increase efficiency, new technology and more automated operations is required to reach this objective.
As a consequence, a restructuring plan for VAP Europe has been approved and will be implemented by the spring of 2014.
The plan includes reducing the number of processing sites in Europe from 13 to eight. This will affect sites in France, Benelux and Poland. Of the approximately 2,400 employees in VAP Europe, about 450 will be affected by the restructuring plan.
Marine Harvest VAP Europe will engage in consultations with employee representatives at affected sites. A provision of €27 million will be made in the second quarter to cover costs associated with the implementation of the restructuring plan.
The expectation is that all business activities will be retained, and that volumes will be allocated to the remaining sites situated in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. These sites will be strengthened going forward to accommodate increased efficiency, throughput and end-customer orientation.
