Olymel announced the closure of its poultry further processing plant located in Paris, Ontario on Wednesday, September 13, 2023.
This decision is part of a plan to redevelop and optimize the company’s processed poultry sector, which will also lead to an increase in
capacity at its poultry further processing plant in Oakville, around 75 kilometres north-east of Paris. Production from the Paris plant will also be transferred to the Oakville plant.
A total of 93 employees from the Paris plant were informed of the closure decision on September 13. Each employee also received a letter explaining that the closure of the plant has been set for December 22, 2023, thus providing a 14-week notice before the closure.
Olymel’s management will offer Paris plant employees to relocate to another establishment within the company if they desire, especially in the processing and further processing facilities located in Oakville, or the poultry slaughtering, cutting and boning plant in Port Colborne, both of which are located near Paris, as well as at its two poultry processing plants located in Brampton, Ontario as well. A relocation plan will be put in place in the next few weeks.
The production capacity reorganization in Olymel’s processed poultry sector in Ontario will entail an investment of $8 million at the Oakville plant, as well as major renovations starting in the coming weeks.
Among other things, one of two production lines from the Paris plant will be installed in Oakville. This redevelopment will also have a positive impact on the poultry products plant on Orenda Road in Brampton, Ontario, particularly for tumbling operations. The reorganization will also make way for equipment to be transferred from the Paris plant to the poultry further processing plant in Sainte-Rosalie, in the Montérégie Est region of Quebec, thereby reducing the cost of acquiring this equipment, increasing production capacity for
certain poultry products, and improving employment prospects. Once the work is completed, operations at the Oakville plant will require an additional 62 employees, bringing the total number of workers in the facility to 180.
The company will assess all options for the future of the Paris facilities, including putting them up for sale, and will announce its intentions at the appropriate time.
“The decision to close the Paris plant definitively was much thought-over, and the choice to consolidate the Paris operations with those in Oakville was taken to ensure efficiency and cost savings. This decision will prevent the projected costly investments needed to update the company’s equipment at the Paris plant, notably to eliminate noise and odour disturbances for the neighbourhood. After renovations are complete, the Oakville plant will be able to carry out its current operations while integrating the activities from the Paris plant into its production lines. I know that the announcement of the closure is difficult news for the Paris employees. On behalf of the company, I would like to extend appreciation to them for their years of loyal service. Between now and the closure in December, Olymel will make every effort to help in the relocation or transition to employment in another sector,” said Yanick Gervais, President and CEO, Olymel.
Following the closure of the Paris plant, Olymel will have five plants in Ontario: the Port Colborne poultry slaughtering, cutting and boning plant; the Oakville further processing plant; the Westwyn poultry boning and further processing plant and the Orenda breaded products plant, both located in Brampton; and the pork further processing plant located in Cornwall. In total, Olymel operates 24 pork and poultry processing plants and five distribution centres in Canada.
