NETHERLANDS – Frico Cheese, part of the Friesland Coberco Dairy Foods co-op, has announced it will be restructuring its cheese maturation and packaging activities, resulting in the loss of 192 jobs at the company.

The losses are aimed at reducing costs and are planned for implementation by 2006, although the company insists there will not be any compulsory redundancies.

It also said that its goal to play a key part in the medium-firm and firm cheese markets is only possible if the organisation is structured properly.

It intends to concentrate the small product packaging activities for Benelux and Germany at a single facility in Wolvega, with its export activities to be concentrated in Drachten and the cheese maturation to be carried out as near to production facilities as possible.