Arnott’s to cut 120 jobs from its Adelaide bakery

IN ANOTHER blow to Australian workers, biscuit maker Arnott’s will slash 120 jobs from its Marleston bakery in Adelaide.

A very Young Cate Blanchett appears in a Tim Tam Commercial in the Mid-1990's. still taken from YouTube

ARNOTT’S has announced that 120 of its workers at its Adelaide bakery will be made redundant.

The company says about 30 per cent of biscuit production at its Marleston bakery will be moved to other manufacturing sites around Australia.

In a statement on Tuesday the company said the plans will improve its effectiveness and ensure the long term viability of Arnott’s Biscuits production in Australia.

The company intends to implement the changes over the next 18 months as the work is transferred to the other sites.

The company said it had invested $150 million in upgrading its Australian sites over the past five years.

This had resulted in ‘super sites’ in Sydney and Brisbane, enabling more efficient manufacturing of large scale biscuit lines. Investment at the Marleston site, which Arnott’s acquired in 1953, has maintained specialist equipment for more complex products.

Supply Chain vice president Craig Funnell said to remain competitive in a global market, Arnott’s needed to embrace improved technology and asset use.

He said Marleston was on a landlocked site in the middle of a residential neighbourhood and currently produced 10 per cent of Arnott’s biscuits.

But due to the site’s restrictions, it was not possible to increase production to levels achieved at other sites.

He said Marleston still had an important role, being the only site equipped to make Arnott’s most intricate biscuits such as Iced VoVo, Venetian, Honey Jumbles and Caramel Crowns.

The company will hold a press conference in Adelaide later on Tuesday.