PITTSBURG, Texas (AP) — Pilgrim's Pride Corp. said Friday it will cut 3,000 jobs, or about 7 percent of its work force, as it shuts down operations at three of its 32 chicken processing plants.
The closures, which will reduce the company's chicken production by roughly 10 percent, are designed to save the company $110 million a year as part of an ongoing restructuring. The company filed for Chapter 11 protection in December under a heavy debt load.
The company expects the closures to cost $35 million, not including asset write-downs it may take in the second quarter.
The plants are expected to close by mid-May. They are in Douglas, GA ; El Dorado, AR; and Farmerville, LA.
The move also affects 430 independent chicken farmers, the company said.
The company also said it would combine its protein salad production operation in Franconia, PA, with its Moorefield, WV, facility.