Larsens working day-to-day for the future

BY SARA KEDDY

Kings County Register

Larsens is a “microsystem” of what its giant owner, Maple Leaf, is operating across the country - and around the world.

It may just be its best asset, says plant manager Mike Lee.

“Larsens is unique,” he said, as the “headline” speaker at a "toast" to local business and development projects in Berwick July 7.

“This site is operated like a company, with a senior leadership team and it generates a profit.”

While Maple Leaf looks at its “cost centres” in a multi-year, international restructuring that may - or may not - affect the Berwick pork processing plant, staff here are “doing all we can” to make the plant efficient, profitable and improved.

“The company restructuring will be finished at some point - then they’ll look at us, no question,” Lee said. “We need to make it a no-brainer for Michael McCain when that does happen.”

Lee knows one of the biggest issues he’s facing is the predicted closure of Larsens - by people on the street who tell him they even know the date that’s going to happen.

“Guys, forget about what could happen - we need to make it work now. If we don’t do that, it’s self-fulfilling.”

An anticipated closure announcement is affecting Larsens’ ability to hire staff - it needs people to fill out its 300 salaried and 70 hourly crew, and had to go to England for one recent specialty hire.

The high Canadian dollar is crippling exports, and, combined with high feed and fuel costs and a worldwide oversupply, putting local hog growers out of business. Larsens is bringing in pork now from PEI and Quebec to add to the 2,500 hogs a week it kills here.

“Two years ago, we were killing 5,000 a week - and losing money hand over fist. Now, with the market corrections, we’re supplying what we need, we’re able to put money into the plant in equipment and people - good things.

“As long as it makes sense economically, we benefit.”