Management from Sonae Industria (UK) Ltd and representatives from union Unite have met George Howarth MP and seven local councillors to discuss the recent serious fire at Sonae’s Knowsley plant.
The meeting was called following a week-long fire in the factory’s woodchip bunkers affecting 1,500 tonnes of woodchip, resulting in the woodchip bunkers requiring demolition and production temporarily ceasing until further notice.
Elected representatives raised a number of points and the management, working with the union, used the opportunity to correct misinformation circulating in recent days.
Mr Howarth has made public statements about the Knowsley plant’s safety record and has questioned whether it should stay open.
Sonae said more than 400 people rely directly on the company for employment, while other firms in the Liverpool area were also reliant on the continued operation of Sonae.
Sonae said that both it and Unite believed constructive dialogue had taken place and there was a common goal of improvement that could be achieved within the affected area.
Sonae spokesperson Luz Dias Ferreira reported no further updates on the woodchip bunker demolition or when production might restart.
