Kellogg’s could close Trafford Park factory with hundreds of jobs at risk

Kellogg’s has announced it could close its Trafford Park factory, resulting in hundreds of job losses.

Kellanova, which owns the site on Park Road, Stretford, says the site is too old to modernise and it could not see a ‘long-term future’ for it.

The 90-year-old factory, which operates 24-hours a day, makes cereals for the brand including Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies and Coco Pops.

The site is the first manufacturing base for Britain and a consultation is already underway with workers, though Kellanova says Greater Manchester ‘would remain its British home’. 

According to the company’s announcement, there are around 360 jobs now ‘at possible risk’ at the factory. The 520 staff at its Media City HQ and tech hub are unaffected by the announcement.

The cereal factory in Wrexham and distribution centre in St Helens will also not be affected by the job losses, the company said.

Kellanova’s UK managing director, Chris Silcock, said: “We know generations of families have worked at our Trafford Park site, and the proposal we are announcing today has nothing to do with the dedication of the outstanding people who work there.”

He continued: “However, we can’t escape the fact, the site opened in 1938. It’s laid out in a way that made sense in the 1930s, with food travelling up and down six floors to be made.

“With changes in industrial design and technology, you just wouldn’t lay out a factory like that nowadays.

“What’s more we only use half the space in the buildings and the investment required to maintain the factory in the coming years is simply not viable. That’s why we can’t currently see a long-term future for our Trafford Park factory.

“We know this will be difficult for many to hear and that’s why we now want to focus on our people.

“We will take the necessary time to discuss our proposals with our people and their representatives and show them how we will support them in the right way should this change happen.”

Andrew Western MP for Stretford and Urmston said the news ‘would be a devastating loss to the people of Stretford and Urmston’.

In a statement, he continued: “Kellogg’s has a long and proud history in the constituency and the site in Trafford Park has been an iconic part of our community for decades – with generations of local families working there.

“My first thoughts are with the staff that are affected by these deeply worrying proposals and I will reach out to the trade unions that represent them to offer any support that I can.

“There is now going to be a consultation process and I will remain in conversation with Kellogg’s in the sincere hope that they will reconsider closing this site.”

The Trafford Park factory was paid a visit from King Charles last January.

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