Anzac biscuit maker crumbles, placing 170 jobs at risk
Ben Butler
March 1, 2012



Biscuit manufacturer Unibic has collapsed, putting at risk 170 jobs at the company's Broadmeadows factory in northern Melbourne.   :(

Owners the Quinn family yesterday appointed administrators Glenn Franklin, Stirling Horne and Petr Vrsecky of Lawler Draper Dillon yesterday after efforts to find a new investor failed.

Staff are being informed this afternoon.


A fortnight ago, chief executive Michael Quinn told BusinessDay the price war between Coles and Woolworths had made it impossible for Unibic to pass on soaring commodity costs.   :(

Unibic makes a wide range of biscuits, including home brand lines for the major supermarkets and Anzac biscuits under agreement with the Returned Services League.

The appointment of administrators came after creditors took legal action over unpaid labour hire and ingredient bills.

In Federal Court proceedings, labour hire firm Labourpower Recruitment Services and suppliers Ingredient Box, Aalst Chocolate, Yellow Express Taxi Trucks and Sugar Australia have asked for the company to be wound up.

The company was also trying to recover from an unhappy period of ownership by private equity group Lazard and had invested $44 million in rebuilding the Broadmeadows plant in 2010, just as commodity prices soared.   :(



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/business/anzac-biscuit-maker-crumbles-placing-170-jobs-at-risk-20120301-1u50h.html#ixzz1nqGEcLlG

Change your idiotic Union working practices or more employers will go this way.

You need to drop this stupid concept of 1970s Australia.

It's a global economy now. Wake up!

How do we go about that Andrei?.   :-?

wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:13pm:

How do we go about that Andrei?.   :-?

More fluid work practices.

Optimal Headcount management processes.

Individual direct work agreements between employer and employee.

Removal of overtime pay on regular hour schedules (eg someone who always works 2am - 10am gets the same as the guy on 9am - 5pm).


In the global economy it is about being fluid, flexible and responding to ebbs and flows of demand.

Not screwing the company out of every last cent you can with rigid demands until they go broke.

When the management start doing these things, then I guess the workers can.   ;)   

wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:19pm:

When the management start doing these things, then I guess the workers can.   ;)

Ummm, management does do these things.

Every staff position I've held has, been on an individual contract, I was not paid overtime at all and was personally held accountable for everything I did.

What did you think management and staff did as far as their contracts go?



Mind you, I am going to miss my ANZAC bikkies if another company doesn't come to the party.

wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:19pm:

When the management start doing these things, then I guess the workers can.   ;)

I am a Management position.

I get paid a set salary.
I do not get paid overtime.
I get paid the same irrelevant of hour times.
I have an individual agreement between myself and the company.

So what's your point?

BigOl64 wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:25pm:

wrote on Mar 1st, 2012 at 4:19pm: When the management start doing these things, then I guess the workers can.   ;)    Ummm, management does do these things. Every staff position I've held has, been on an individual contract, I was not paid overtime at all and was personally held accountable for everything I did. What did you think management and staff did as far as their contracts go? Mind you, I am going to miss my ANZAC bikkies if another company doesn't come to the party.

the ones my Mum used to make were the best.  Golden Syrup in there - rolled out thin and baked!  Beee ute e ful!

Well we know what it was like before under Howards IR system.  Sign the contract or no job system.  In any case if we do go down that road again, and I hope we don't.  Make mine a union negotiated one.   ;)

wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:31pm:

Well we know what it was like before under Howards IR system.  Sign the contract or no job system.  In any case if we do go down that road again, and I hope we don't.  Make mine a union negotiated one.   ;)

Yep union ones are for the dummies.

No they are for the ones that don't want to be shafted.  For the ones that don't want to be made into slaves.   :)   

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:11pm:

Change your idiotic Union working practices or more employers will go this way. You need to drop this stupid concept of 1970s Australia. It's a global economy now. Wake up!

Why ? Germany doesn't, but manufactures and exports all around the world. Not bad for a 1970's concept ;)


Quote:

Germany is the world's fourth largest economy, fourth largest manufacturer (manufacturing still accounts for around 20% of GDP and is approximately twice the size of UK manufacturing GDP) and second largest exporter. Many of its companies, products and brands are world leaders and it has a reputation for quality that helps build the "made in Germany" brand and obtain a premium price for its products. Germany also manages to be successful as a manufacturing economy despite its high labour and infrastructure costs, its high levels of unionisation, the required involvement of workforce representatives in management strategy and decisions in larger companies and its high levels of regulation. Finally it has developed a "mittelstand" of medium sized manufacturing companies which provide a huge drive to the manufacturing sector and the economy as a whole.

http://www.bdo.uk.com/press/talk-shop/vorsprung-durch-manufacturing-what-can-uk-learn-germany-tom-lawton

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 4:30pm:

wrote on Mar 1st, 2012 at 4:19pm: When the management start doing these things, then I guess the workers can.   ;)    I am a Management position. I get paid a set salary. I do not get paid overtime. I get paid the same irrelevant of hour times. I have an individual agreement between myself and the company. So what's your point?

I'd love to see a QC or barrister not get paid overtime ;)

For an international business man you know bugger all.

Mercedes manufacture in 22 countries including South Africa with  cars, trucks and buses in Brazil.

The Beetle is made in Brazil.

Karcher the worlds biggest manufacturer of high pressure cleaners manufacture in South America.

Hmm I wonder why?

Quote:

Not screwing the company out of every last cent you can with rigid demands until they go broke.

I guess Andrei didn't see the reference to Private equity group Lazard. They were the ones that screwed the company out of every last cent. Along with the voracious monopoly building appetites of Coles and Woollies, in fact 'process workers' are the lowest paid people in the workforce.

It's after time that the government intervened to break up the grocery monopoly before we're all owned by coles and woolies and buying our cars from them and paying our rents to them.

Guess we'll have to make at home like Grandma did.

red baron wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2012 at 8:37am:

Guess we'll have to make at home like Grandma did.

Guess so.

I've got a couple of good recipes for them.

Including Grandma's....:-)

I just heard that they have found a buyer for this company. Maybe its Dick Smith ;) LOL

Grey wrote on Mar 1^st, 2012 at 8:47pm:

[quote]It's after time that the government intervened to break up the grocery monopoly before we're all owned by coles and woolies and buying our cars from them and paying our rents to them.

I agree 100%.
It's only recently I had a convo with an Aussie mate of mine who lives in London.

I come from a country which rejected Tesco's bid for a rival because it had too large a market share - which was not much over half what the big two in Australia have.

The fact you have 2 players with pretty much 90% of the grocery market is obscene frankly and I can't believe it has been allowed.

Great, what now.
ANZAC biscuits imported from China?
It's a sick world we live in.
Don't concern yourself with the 170 jobs though.
With all the jobs Labor are saying are created thanks to their leadership, these 170 workers will be
re-employed in a jiffy. ;D ;D ;D