consolidation abanca as main shareholder New Pescanova He supported the approval in 2020 of the company’s new strategic plan, “Rumbo al valor”, designed to definitively bear the weight of bankruptcy and shape the future of the Galician capital’s main fishing company. Setting its target to 2024, the Chapela-based giant sets its roadmap according to 2024 five “basic” columns. We aim to deliver “different” seafood products to “the most valued” markets; focus on “providing added value” to the consumer; seeks to increase the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of the entire chain; “transforming and simplifying” the organization to “concretize the change”; You can achieve the goal alone, through organic growth, or through “acquisitions or alliances”. He tried the latter with Pesquera Veraz, an Argentine company specializing in hailfish and shrimp fishing. It has nine ships, three processing plants and a canning factory. The country’s exchange rate and runaway inflation rendered the operation, which meant good muscle strength for Nueva Pescanova, to no avail. long-awaited profitability.
After the decline due to the pandemic, the increase in inflation forces Nueva Pescanova to change its direction once again. In addition to the effect of the increase in feed, fuel, oil, additives, logistics, energy and labor costs on the cost structure, Increase in prices caused “change in consumption patterns”As explained by the company itself, it has stalled demand for two star products: vannamei shrimp and prawns. Internally, the group had to deal with “aquaculture operations issues” in Nicaragua, which increased expenses and reduced production volumes. The bad cocktail that reduced the turnover by 2% to 1 billion 74 million euros with the depreciation of the dollar against the euro and once again dragged the group into the red. Damage exceeded 53 million euros.
The group announced the start of the sale last Wednesday, never mentioning Abanca’s bargain with Canadian Cooke for the sale of 80% of the capital. Negotiations with unions continue Employment Regulation File (ERE) Between the ‘back office’ staff of the Chapela headquarters and the Madrid offices. This will affect around one hundred workers, of which a third (over 300) are currently operating in these services as Faro de Vigo from the Prensa Ibérica group. “ERE is right as follows: economic and organizational reasons He said in a statement: The company’s goal is to adapt to the challenging global environment and ensure the long-term sustainability of the company.”
The measure means going one step further contingency plan to reduce costsHe has been encouraged in recent months to confront the effects of inflation and the rise in interest rates, which was fundamental in the Nueva Pescanova case due to the debt burden. According to its latest calculations, the finance company reaches 209.6 million euros and accrues at an average annual interest rate of 4.86%, compared to the 3.9% it paid in 2022.
Chapela’s Back Office works council, which met urgently on Thursday, conveyed to staff its intention to take action “from the very beginning to “reduce the number of those affected” and to provide adequate conditions to allow the process to end with the implementation of voluntary membership measures”. Nueva Pescanova herself is open to early retirement, incentive leaves and reduced working hours. Workers’ representatives are extremely critical of the management. “We got to this point with a wrong drift, no direction, no captain, and now they are trying to separate us from our company.‘ they criticize. “We’ve all worked for it to grow,” they add, “we don’t want it to disappear, and we will fight for it with the help of all of you if necessary”. They believe that ERE “will not fix the future”.
813 people were laid off due to layoffs; this means an increase of 135% compared to 2022
The planned cutback at the Chapela and Madrid offices (the company insists its production centers remain untouched) traces what happened last year. Nueva Pescanova’s worldwide average workforce was 11,532 workers, or 304 fewer. Specific data at year-end suggest restructuring is greater. It fell from 11,134 recruits on March 31, 2022, to 10,056 on March 31 this year, a drop of 1,078 jobs.
As revealed in the company’s non-financial information balance, 813 layoffs were made, an increase of 135% compared to the previous year. The reason for the increase “a series of staff restructuring, mainly in Guatemala and Nicaragua”. There, 575 and 353 workers were laid off, respectively. However, adjustments were also made in eight countries, notably Namibia (171), Ecuador (149), Argentina (31), Spain (26) and France (17). The workforce increased by 221 people in Mozambique, and by 26 people in Peru.
The exits are 953 uncertain and 125 lead the final positions. Nueva Pescanova gave up 7 managers, 11 middle managers, 16 technicians and 1,047 administrative and operator personnel.