Keystone Food Poultry Division is laying off 118 employees. They say this comes as an effort to reduce costs in a bad economy. The company just moved into its new 118-million dollar facility and hopes the staff reduction is temporary.

“If there is a silver lining behind this announcement it is that it is a temporary reduction in force due to market conditions and company officials expect those jobs will be back,” says Mike McCain, the director of Industrial Division Authority.

Below is that statement released by Keystone Manager Mike Jackson.

Keystone Foods Poultry Division Rightsizing:

In an effort to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in a competitive marketplace, Equity Group Alabama has taken steps to optimize our operations and implement cost reductions.  As part of that plan, we are reducing and combining various positions throughout our complex.  We have reduced a total of 18 salaried positions in our business.  At the same time, we are temporally reducing 100 hourly positions.  This is part of a wider workforce reduction in our US poultry division that includes approximately 70 salaried and 225 hourly positions.

These business decisions, along with other cost reduction initiatives, will ensure that we continue to be well positioned to support our overall business, serve our customers and remain a valuable partner in the community.