Jobs to go at supplies base

About 20 jobs are to go at a Mid Wales farm goods supplier after bosses decided to stop manufacturing animal feed there, it has been revealed.Feed manufacturer BOCM Pauls will stop manufacturing compound animal feeds at Presteigne Mill, Presteigne, in July, after the firm reviewed the mill's facilities.

The company has admitted there will be redundancies, but announced it will develop other activities at the site.

A spokesman said some of the employees likely to lose manufacturing jobs could find other opportunities there.

Presteigne Mill, which employs about 30 people, will continue operating as a Countrywide Farmers retail store and fuel distribution depot.

The mill will also continue importing compound feeds to be packed and stored in the warehouse for both the company's own collections and farm deliveries.

Opportunities

Working in partnership with Countrywide Farmers, BOCM Pauls has also identified new market opportunities in which it will produce blends and coarse mixes of feeds in both bulk and bags at the mill, according to bosses.

BOCM Pauls' Portbury, Carmarthen and Newcastle-under-Lyme mills will manufacture feed currently produced at Presteigne Mill for Countrywide Farmers' customers.

Company spokesman Andrew Kendall said about 20 jobs would go and added: "Whether any of the employees will move on to the other side of the businesses, I don't know."

Bill Mayne, BOCM Pauls' chief executive, said: "Changing economic conditions in the ruminant feeds market have indicated that future demand will be insufficient to justify further required, and significant, investment.

"But we have confirmed our continuing commitment to the Presteigne Mill, developing a range of other activities at the site. This planned review of the site's manufacturing facilities identified a clear need for it to evolve to meet challenging conditions in the marketplace."

John Hardman, managing director of Countrywide Farmers, said the changes would open up new business opportunities.

By Mike Sivier