CSM streamlines US bakery ingredients operation
its manufacturing in the US by transferring the production of
a subsidiary to other CSM North America plants.
The move is part of the company's ongoing restructuring programme, which has led to cost savings amounting to €43 million in 2006, resulting in cumulative savings of €62 million. Restructuring costs totalled €24 million in 2006. CSM said last week the production of the Lancaster-based facility of subsidiary H.C. Brill will be transferred to other CSM Bakery Supplies North America facilities. The H.C. Brill facility employs 120 people to manufacture bakery ingredients. The company said this will be done in a phased schedule to keep disruption to a minimum, with completion expected by the fourth quarter of 2008. "The production will be transferred in a phased schedule in order to ensure uninterrupted supply and service to all customers," the company said. This comes a month after the company announced it was to acquire North American bakery supplier, Titterington's, in a $23m (€17m) deal. "Our sharpened strategy, developed with a view to turning CSM again into a cost-conscious, customer-oriented and innovative player, is up and running," said Gerard Hoetmer, CSM's chief executive. "It is quite an achievement of our people to make sales and profit grow organically in a period of major restructuring." In the company's 2006 annual report, CSM said it expected to make €30m of savings within 2007 through the restructuring programme. CSM claims to hold second place in the North American bakery ingredients market, through its 7 percent share of the total $21bn (€16bn) market.