"Cost-cutting obsession at Inbev"

Many had expected new lay-offs but the unions were shocked upon hearing the scale of the new reorganisation.

Some 150 employees will be laid off, for 50 employees Inbev will look for a new job. Most redundancies, some 109, are made in the Jupille plant.

The unions say that Inbev is now sacking the people that made the company to the profitable giant that it is today.

The management talks about a "rearrangement of European activities". This means that the company's service centre will be moved to the Czech Republic and Hungary. Therefore, most of the people who lose this job this time are clerks.

Six months ago Inbev already announced 232 redundancies in Belgium.

"Cost cutting obsession"

Union representative Luc Gysemberg said that Inbev is currently "obsessed with cutting costs. This morning, the Inbev employees of the Inbev plants in Jupille and Leuven had a meeting. No actions or strikes have been planned yet, but the unions are further discussing the matter on Friday afternoon.

"Preparing for the future"

The Leuven based international drinks group InBev has posted profits worth 1.024 billion euros last year. The company had a 11.67 billion turnover, that's 7.2% more than the year before.

On Vrt radio, Inbev spokesperson Lian Verhoeven said that the company did not rule out new rounds of lay-offs. She said that the company is constantly on the look out for new ways of cutting costs. She added that, by doing this, Inbev is "preparing for the challenges of the future".