15 staff laid off after Greenock meat factory fire

David Jess, who runs McKechnie Jess, says the development is ‘very disappointing’ but added the company had been left with no choice as they fight to keep going.

In the aftermath of the blaze, 52 staff members were redeployed on full pay to the company’s sister plant in Twechar, near Cumbernauld. But Mr Jess says that arrangement is no longer feasible as there is not enough work to go round and not enough money coming in to pay all the staff.

He said: “We have three companies working on various products for us that we can’t do at Twechar.

“We had hoped that these companies would take on some of our staff, but none of them are prepared to do that for a lot of different reasons.

“It’s very disappointing for us, as unfortunately we’re having to lay off 15 members of staff out of the 52 we employ.

“It’s a horrible thing to have to do.

“I’m very sorry and sad for the people that are being laid off, but we have to do what’s best for the business in the big picture.

“Unfortunately there isn’t enough work to go round at Twechar and not enough money coming in to keep all the staff on.”

Mr Jess also said that the situation is further complicated as insurers have not yet completed their probe into blaze.
It caused such severe damage that bulldozers had to be sent in to flatten the building.

Mr Jess said: “The insurance company are still investigating the cause of the fire. We are in a state of flux until we know what their decision is.”

But Mr Jess and his team are still hopeful of establishing a replacement operation in Inverclyde.

He said: “We are still talking with Riverside Inverclyde and with other people about 
opening another factory down here.

“We would make sure that the people who were laid off would be offered jobs first.”

Mr Jess was again keen to thank everyone who has supported the company in the aftermath of the blaze, especially Inverclyde Council, his management team and Greenock & Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan.