Bornstein Seafoods plans to close two US processing sites as the family-owned business consolidates those operations into facilities in Oregon.
The plant in Bellingham, Washington, is set to close its doors in June with the loss of 72 jobs, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the Washington State Employment Security Department.
Bornstein Seafoods’ other affected facility is in Newport, Oregon, which is due to shut down in May, impacting 11-50 workers, a similar filing with the state’s employment office shows.
Operations in Bellingham and Newport will be consolidated into Bornstein Seafoods’ sites in Astoria, Oregon, where president and CEO Colin Bornstein said the company operates two facilities.
He took over the leadership of the business, set up in 1934, along with Andrew Bornstein, who is the executive vice president, in 2010. Bornstein Seafoods processes a range of species, from cod, salmon and Albacore tuna to crab and shrimp.
“This strategic move underscores the company's unwavering dedication to supporting the industry and ensuring long-term success,” according to a statement from Bornstein Seafoods.
“This strategic move involves taking excess processing capacity offline, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and strengthening the company’s competitive edge in the market.”
The CEO and executive vice president added: “We are announcing the repositioning of our operations, a move that underscores our commitment to sustainability, quality and innovation, while better serving the needs of our customers and partners in the West Coast seafood industry.
“While this decision represents a significant step forward for our company, we are also mindful of its impact on our valued employees. We assure our workforce that we are dedicated to supporting them during this transition period, providing job fair opportunities and access to other resources to assist them in finding alternative employment opportunities.”
There will be no impact on Bornstein Seafoods’ processing capabilities, from what the company described as its “optimisation efforts”.
