Imperial Brands is closing two factories and a research center, and restructuring its headquarters with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
BBC Online reported that up to 100 jobs could go at Imperial’s Bristol, UK, headquarters in what it described as ‘structural changes’ that were part of a ‘new phase of cost optimization’.
A company spokesman said the steps were “difficult but necessary” to strengthen Imperial’s “competitiveness and sustainability”.
Meanwhile, a Reuters story relayed by the TMA reported that Imperial had said it was closing its Yaroslavl plant, one of its two factories in Russia, in January.
Imperial apparently cited ‘regulatory hurdles such as higher taxes’ as being behind the closure, which is expected to result in the loss of 284 jobs.
And a Le Monde du Tabac story also relayed by the TMA reported that Imperial’s French subsidiary, Seita, had said that it would close its Riom manufacturing facility and its Fleury-les-Aubrais research center, though it wasn’t stated when the closures would occur.
In announcing the closures in France, the company cited a ‘decline in sales and a resultant drop in production’.
The ‘restructuring moves’ in France were expected to ‘affect a total of 339 jobs’.
The BBC Online story said that these announcements followed the closure in May of Imperial Tobacco’s Horizon factory in Nottingham, UK, with the loss of more than 500 jobs.
Bosses at the factory were said previously to have blamed falling sales and an increase in the illegal tobacco trade for their decision to move out of the UK.