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Glanbia plc
Glanbia is a major food processing company quoted on the Irish stock-exchange with a turnover in excess of 2.5 billion Euros and employing 8,500 people.

It has milk and meat operations in Ireland, UK, USA and Belgium and serves markets in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia.

The company processes approximately 3.7 billion litres of milk per annum and is the largest milk processor in the British Isles. Glanbia ranks as one of the top 5 cheese-makers in the world.
Company background
Glanbia was formed through the amalgamation of two large dairy companies, Avonmore Foods and Waterford Foods, in August 1997.
A three month review of the company's businesses and business process followed.
Glanbia announced a new plan in November 1997 for the re-structuring of the company.
New business plan
The plan called for the closure of five plants:

Rathfarnham (Liquid milk)

Dungarvan (Food ingredients)

Dundalk (Liquid milk)

Clonmel (Liquid milk)

Castlelyons (Liquid milk)
The plan required 750 jobs to be lost in Ireland and also sought the redeployment of staff to new locations.
It was recognised that the plan would not only have changes internally on business processes such as Operations, Finance, IT and Human Resources but also externally in terms of its impact on local economies.
Effect of new business plan
The announcement of the plan left employees:

shocked;

disoriented;

angry.
From a company perspective,

it had to keep the business going;

it was not able to answer all employees' questions;

it was trying to assist where possible.
Profile of employees
Four of the five factories that were closing were situated in rural areas where there were few alternative job opportunities.

A profile of staff indicated:

Average age of staff was 47;

Average service of staff was over 25 years;

Most staff had never worked with any other company.
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