News Pigs
Former German slaughterhouse of Vion closes its doors
The medium-sized German slaughterhouse Fleischcenter Perleberg decided to close its doors on October 29th. The closure comes as no surprise. Both the pig and cattle sectors are struggling with a surplus of slaughter shackles.
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The organization's pig processing facility was owned by Vion until March 2024. Due to the company's withdrawal from Germany, it sold the site to Uhlen GmbH.
The site slaughters approximately 20.000 pigs per week. The reason cited is that Germany cannot export to China due to African swine fever. Rising labor and energy costs are also impacting margins.
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The closure is not an isolated incident. In recent years, several major players, including Danish Crown and Vion, have closed locations, particularly in the north of the country. Although the supply of pigs for meat in Northern Europe has recovered significantly compared to a year ago, there were frequent instances this year when the slaughter shackles were not filled. Therefore, slaughterhouses in Northern Europe are expected to further reduce their capacity.
It's noteworthy that the Tönnies slaughterhouse in Ahlen, Germany, also closed a former Vion facility this summer, where hams were processed. The site was also acquired from Vion in 2024.