Helsinki / FI. (fg) Fazer Bakery Finland is planning to build a new, energy-efficient bread line in the Lahti bakery. With the investment, Fazer would develop its baking capabilities and improve energy efficiency. As a result of the planned changes, the number of production lines in Lahti would decrease, which would have an impact on the number of personnel. For this reason, Fazer Bakery Finland will start change negotiations at the Lahti bakery. Possible terminations of employment contracts are planned to be carried out gradually during the years 2023 to 2025.
Fazer is planning an investment in rye bread production in the Lahti bakery. The company’s goal is to grow and strengthen its product portfolio by launching new, attractive, and trendy rye products. The aim of the investment is to strengthen Fazer’s market leadership in the Finnish bread market.
The purpose of the planned changes would be to develop the manufacturing capabilities of the Lahti bakery and to improve energy efficiency in the long term. At the same time, the production’s organisational responsibilities would be clarified to be line-specific, and the number of working time models would be reduced.
The planned investment is part of Fazer Bakery Finland’s consumer-oriented strategy, and if realised, it would enable the growth of baking capacity. In addition, it would significantly reduce the Lahti bakery’s CO2 emissions and total energy consumption. Fazer is committed to reducing CO2 emissions by −42 percent by 2030 in line with the SBTi (Science Based Targets Initiatives) targets.
«With the investment, we will develop the future of the Lahti bakery by building an energy-efficient and modern line», says Marko Bergholm, Managing Director of Fazer Bakery Finland. «Consumers are looking for new types of rye bread products in their daily lives to bring variety to the current offering. For us, it is important that the products are baked sustainably. Our bakery in Lahti is the largest rye bread bakery in the world and we are proud of it.»
Company initiates change negotiations
As a result of the planned changes, Fazer will initiate change negotiations. The change negotiations concern in total 218 employees and a part of salaried employees working in Fazer’s bakery in Lahti. The change negotiations do not concern senior salaried employees in Lahti bakery or personnel working at Fazer Gluten-free bakery.
If implemented, the planned changes could lead to termination of maximum 54 employment contracts. Due to the investment, several new working methods would at the same time be created, and if the employer and employee would reach an agreement on the matter, the number of possible terminations would decrease. Possible terminations of employment contracts are planned to be carried out gradually during the years 2023-2025. The planned changes do not concern other Fazer Bakery units or operations in Finland.
The change negotiations begin on 21 March 2023. They are aimed to be concluded during the six weeks’ negotiation time.
The negotiations will address the reasons, impacts and options for the measures, as well as possible relocation and educational possibilities. In addition, the negotiations will cover questions concerning the change security of the persons.
Fazer intends to limit the potential terminations of employments by offering as many employees as possible other employment as an alternative to termination, and by finding the employees concerned a suitable role also in the future.
Company supports personnel in change
Should the negotiations lead to the termination of employments, Fazer would support the personnel and their chances of re-employment. Vacancies in Fazer Group will be primarily offered to those employees whose employments would possibly be terminated. Fazer will also cooperate with public employment and business services (TE Services) (Photo: Fazer Group).
