Trouw Nutrition will close its production plant in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on September 30, according to news reports.
The closure will result in the loss of 29 jobs, mostly in production. The company reported its commercial, sales, technical support and customer relationship teams will continue to “operate as normal” from its office in Belfast’s Clarendon Dock.
“We fully recognize the impact this decision has on our colleagues, and we regret the disruption it brings,” said Trouw Nutrition Europe and Central Asia Managing Director Pieter Bastiaanssen in a report. “However, it is a necessary step to address long‑standing structural challenges and ensure our production set‑up can meet increasingly demanding quality, traceability and compliance requirements in the future.
“Our commitment to this very important market remains firm. We are making targeted investments to enable a gradual, well‑controlled transition that strengthens the resilience and reliability of how we serve our customers across the island of Ireland.”
The company said in a statement it has reinforced its ongoing commitment to the Ireland market. Despite ceasing production in Belfast, its commercial, sales, technical support and customer relationship teams will continue to operate as normal from the company's office in Belfast’s Clarendon Dock. The company is also reinforcing its customer service and planning/logistics teams with new hires to further enhance service delivery.
This planned transition is intended to strengthen the long-term resilience, quality and reliability of how Trouw Nutrition serves its customers, the company said, adding that its focus throughout the transition period is on maintaining the consistent supply, service quality and proximity expected.
Going forward, product supply will be delivered through Trouw Nutrition’s European network, including its purpose-built sites in Great Britain and the Netherlands. At a local level, this will be further supplemented through an expanded supply agreement with Trouw's long-term partner, Newtownards-based North Down Grain (NDG).
According to Feed Strategy’s Top Feed Companies database, Trouw's parent company Nutreco is a global powerhouse in aquafeed and animal nutrition. Its two global company brands, Skretting (fish and shrimp feed) and Trouw Nutrition (animal nutrition), boast sales in more than 90 countries. Nutreco is a wholly owned subsidiary of SHV Holdings N.V.
