Heineken to close Romanian plant

Hateg Brewery to go

Another Heineken brewery and 98 jobs have fallen to the firm’s programme of cost-cutting and efficiency-building, this time in Romania. 

The firm announced today that it will close its facility in the western province of Hateg, consolidating production in its four other breweries in the country.  

“The decision to transfer production from Hateg Brewery to the company’s other breweries has been taken after a very thorough review of all options, with the interest of the whole company, and all its employees in mind,” said Heineken Romania general manager Jan Derck van Karnebeek.  

Heineken has pledged to provide “substantial financial compensation” to those facing unemployment as a consequence of the closure, as well as training and support in applying for available EU funds.  

The Hatek plant was commissioned in 1978 and is home to Heineken’s Hategana brand, with excess capacity occasionally being used to produce the Bucegi and Golden Brau brands. Production will be taken over in the Miecurea Ciuc, Targa Mures, Craiova and Constanta plants.  

Heineken’s Total Cost Management programme has resulted in a spate of brewery closures across Europe in recent months. Last September the axe fell on three Romanian malting plants.  

Van Karnebeek added: “We are here to stay, to further invest in our business and brands in order to deliver excellent quality to our consumers. [The] Hatenga brand is part of this future and we will continue to brew it with pride, exactly according to the original recipe.”