One hundreds jobs will be lost at Ipswich after National foods decision to close its Booval factory.
The business has offered to relocate staff to Logan but Ipswich council wants them to stay.
Chandini Khan reports.
TRANSCRIPT
More than a century of production in Ipswich will come to an end when the Jacaranda Factory ceases operations early next year.
The decision comes a year after Japanese owned company National Foods took over from Australian owned Dairy Farmers.
Coun Paul Tully, Ipswich City Councillor: "Well we didn't expect that this would happen. This has come as a complete surprise when it was taken over by the current owners. I'd like to see it stay in Ipswich."
However that is unlikely that'll happen.
Mark Toomey, Operations Manager: "The board's decision was made on Friday to the Lion Nathan National foods board and we won't be reversing the decision."
Coun Paul Tully, Ipswich City Councillor: "We've indicated to them over a year ago that we would facilitate the redevelopment of this site if necessary but unfortunately it looks as though we've lost this development to Logan."
The Creastmead plant will become the sole factory in the region once expansion on the site is completed.
National Foods has promised to provide staff impacted with full entitlements offering them either redundancy or relocation to the Brisbane plant.
Workers aren't too happy about the closure but have accepted the decision despite the inconvenience it will cause.
Vox one: I'll have to buy a car to go to the job I only live up the road."
Staff willing to relocate to Logan will make the move early next year.
Mark Toomey, Operations Manager: "It's 30 minutes from the Booval site so we see it as a opportunity for people to grow with our business as well."
Chandini Khan, QUT News
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