Belgian brewing major Anheuser-Busch is planning to cease operations at its bottling line in Newark, New Jersey, the US.
This comes in line with the company's strategy to optimize capabilities of its brewery system to meet consumer and geographic needs, reports St. Louis Business Journal.
The idling of the bottling line is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter, resulting in 60 job cuts.
Commenting on the closure, Anheuser-Busch Newark brewery general manager Kevin Lee was quoted by the publication as saying: "We are always looking for ways to improve the way we do business, and this includes optimizing the capabilities of our brewery system to meet consumer and geographic needs.
"... We will move equipment that adds value to another brewery. For example, we plan to relocate the bottle line's multi-packer to Williamsburg."
Earlier in November last year, Anheuser-Busch InBev announced that it was reducing its workforce and consolidating its sales division in the US due toslump in sales volume, St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
The move affected employees from various divisions such as marketing and procurement, sales and brewery operations.
However, the number of employees slashed was not disclosed.
Anheuser-Busch, which employs 15,000 employees in the US, reported 2.1% decline in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation in the region for the first nine months of 2014.
Image: Anheuser-Busch's international brands include Budweiser, Stella Artois, Corona, and Beck's. Photo: courtesy of Anheuser-Busch InBev.
