AN Irish-based meat company who are a major employer in the Aeron Valley have revealed that they are looking to move their operations from Felinfach.

Responding to a Cambrian News query earlier this month, Dunbia Meats insisted they would be creating more jobs in Wales, not less.

However, they stopped short of confirming that their Felinfach operation – which employs around 170 people – would be maintained, saying only that they were “reviewing our factory footprint in Wales”.

On Friday, Dunbia disclosed that they were indeed looking to ‘transfer operations’ from their Felinfach plant to Dawn Meats at Cross Hands.

But their latest statement gave no word on the future of their larger plant at Llanybydder which employs a 600-strong workforce.

“As we recently stated, Dunbia currently has over 1,100 staff in Wales and we expect the numbers employed to increase this year rather than decline,” ran Friday’s statement.

“In the course of our review of our factory footprint in Wales, we have entered into consultation with employees at our leased Felinfach facility about the potential transfer of operations to our own factory at Cross Hands. 

“An integral part of that consultation is that any affected staff will be offered the opportunity to transfer.  We have a long-standing and proud history as a major employer in Wales, and supporter of Welsh farming, which we plan to continue.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now