THERE could be a long wait for the four hundred workers at the Heinz factory in Okehampton to discover if a buyer can be found for the business, as the food giant favours selling its European frozen and chilled food businesses as a whole. The workforce?s future was plunged into uncertainty last week when Heinz announced its plans to sell off the factory along with five other UK and Irish plants as part of a ?transformation plan?. Hopes remain high among staff that a buyer can be found, but Heinz expects that could take six to twelve months. Employees at Heinz ? the largest employer in West Devon ? were told last Tuesday of the decision by management. The factory produces cheesecake and other chilled foods and was acquired by Heinz from the United Biscuits group six years ago. Jeremy Filmer-Bennett, new chief executive of Devon and Cornwall Business Council said he understood some interested parties had already come forward although the process was still in the early stages. ?Heinz are not interested in splitting the group at the moment. If they don?t get a buyer for the division as a whole they might look at that,? he said. ?This is a profitable business, it is successful with well-trained staff and lots of investment. It is just that Heinz feel if they get rid of it, they can concentrate on what they do best,? he said. Mr Filmer-Bennett said it might be nine to 12 months before the business was sold, though he said he appreciated that this was ?not comfortable? for the people who worked at the factory. John Crick, of union USDAW who represent more than two-thirds of staff at the factory, said the mood among staff was good. ?Most people are quietly confident there will be a lot of interest. There is no despondency,? he said. Mr Crick said the sale might present an opportunity for a more specialist firm to take the business forward. ?It is a profitable site and I expect there will be a lot of interested parties who can concentrate more on the frozen side of the business. ?There are six factories Heinz are looking to sell. If a company acquired all six that would make them the second largest firm in this sector behind Birdseye, which would be a great opportunity. ?The other option is that the factory is sold on a stand-alone basis and there are other local businesses in similar sectors who could then step in,? he added. Mayor of Okehampton Cllr Tony Leech said he was concerned about the news but was optimistic a buyer could be found following a meeting with bosses at Heinz last Wednesday. He said: ?We are all concerned. If it is sold as a going concern then I can?t see a problem, but if it is sold to a company for asset stripping, that would be a great worry.? He said: ?The majority of the staff have been through the previous resale in 1999, so they have some experience of this.? Cllr Leech said the decision did not just impact on Okehampton as the company also bussed in a large number of its workers to the factory from further afield. Mayor of West Devon, Cllr Jayne Hill, who represents the Okehampton West ward said: ?Naturally we are concerned about the announcement but are somewhat reassured that the factory is being offered as a going concern. We are contacting the company to get more details but have every faith that a new owner will be found. ?We also recognise how unsettling this must be to the workforce and the council is committed to helping in any way we can.? Geoffrey Cox, West Devon and Torridge MP said: ?We must do everything we can to ensure that a buyer is found. ?It is going to be a time of considerable uncertainty for the factory employees, but I shall be bending every nerve to ensure that the factory is sold as a going concern and I shall be seeking an urgent meeting with the management of Heinz.?
