Cadbury Confectionery has confirmed it will go ahead with a $51 million redevelopment of its Dunedin factory and that by the end of next year the first of 145 jobs are likely to go.
The chocolate manufacturer announced its plans almost a month ago to redevelop the site during the next two and a-half years, which would boost production by 25%.
Cadbury had been in consultation with staff and unions about the proposed job losses, Cadbury spokesman Daniel Ellis said from Melbourne yesterday.
No alternative plans were put forward, other than staff wanting to know who would be affected and when.
Mr Ellis believed a small number of staff would lose their jobs early next year.
After new equipment arrived after July, a larger group of staff would be laid off toward the end of the year, with further redundanciesin 2010.
