360 jobs to go at Kellogg's in Trafford Park as company confirm closure
The factory will shut for good in 2026
The owner of Kellogg's has confirmed the closure of its Trafford Park factory towards the end of 2026 with the loss of around 360 roles.
Following the conclusion of formal talks with trade unions and employee representatives, the Company shared the news that mutual agreement has been reached on an enhanced redundancy package and that redeployment will be offered to all colleagues who want it, and, where it can be accommodated.
The future of the 27-acre Manchester facility has been in question since February when a potential closure was first announced by the business.
At the time Kellanova cited the age of the almost 90-year-old plant, together with the large amount of redundant space in its buildings, as reasons for such a move.
UK Managing Director, Chris Silcock, said:
“We want to acknowledge the professionalism of all colleagues at the factory during what we know have been some difficult discussions.
“When we announced our proposal earlier this year, we said it had nothing to do with the outstanding people who work at our factory. And, how everyone has chosen to conduct themselves over the last months has really brought this to life for us.
“However, we remain clear there isn’t a long-term future for the site. It’s laid out in a way that made sense in the 1930s, with food travelling up and down six floors in a legacy manufacturing process. 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.”
Back in February the company also said it wanted to support colleagues should such a closure happen.
Over the past three months, the team at Kellanova has been speaking at length with unions and employee representatives to agree together what a package could look like. As a result of these talks, enhanced redundancy has been agreed and redeployment offered to all colleagues who want it and where it can be accommodated.
Chris concluded: “We understand confirmation of something significant like a factory closure is never easy to hear and we will try to make it as smooth as possible. That means we’ll work with partners on things like outplacement support for our employees and, for the community, we will start to explore the long-term future of the site.”
As signalled when the proposals were announced earlier this year, the Company is aiming to retain Manchester production volumes in the UK. Further information about this will be shared later this year.
The company’s Wrexham factories and MediaCity headquarters in Salford, which currently employ around 1,000 people, are not impacted by this news.
In a joint statement, Kellanova and the USDAW and UNITE trade unions said:
"Through collective consultation the Company and employee representatives have agreed a substantial package which recognises our employees’ contribution to the Manchester Plant and supports them to transition to life beyond Kellanova."