Trouw Nutrition to close Belfast premix mill, cut 29 jobs in restructuring move

UNITED KINGDOM – Animal nutrition company Trouw Nutrition will close its pre-mix mill on Ship Street in Belfast at the end of September, resulting in the loss of 29 jobs, as part of a wider restructuring of its production network.

The Netherlands-headquartered company, which operates 71 manufacturing plants across 105 countries, said its commercial, sales, technical support, and customer relationship teams will continue to operate from its Clarendon Dock office in Belfast, maintaining its presence in the Irish market.

A company spokesperson said employees have been engaged throughout the process and that the closure will be managed “responsibly, with safety, compliance, and care for our people as priorities.”

“We have also reinforced our ongoing commitment to the Ireland-wide market. Despite ceasing production in Belfast, our commercial, sales, technical support, and customer relationship teams will continue to operate as normal,” the spokesperson added.

Trouw Nutrition said the decision is aimed at strengthening long-term supply chain resilience and service reliability. 

Product supply to Northern Ireland will be delivered through its wider European manufacturing network, including facilities in Great Britain and the Netherlands, and will be supported by an expanded partnership with Newtownards-based North Down Grain (NDG).

The company also said it is strengthening its customer service and logistics functions through targeted recruitment to improve delivery efficiency and responsiveness.

Restructuring to address production challenges

Trouw Nutrition Europe and Central Asia managing director Pieter Bastiaanssen said the closure reflects structural production challenges and the need to meet rising demands for quality, traceability, and compliance across its operations.

He added that while the decision affects staff, it is necessary to ensure a more efficient and resilient production setup.

“Our commitment to this very important market remains firm,” Bastiaanssen said, noting that the transition will be gradual and carefully managed to maintain supply continuity across the island of Ireland.

The company emphasised that the restructuring is intended to safeguard long-term service quality and ensure consistent supply to customers in a competitive, increasingly regulated animal nutrition market.

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