Claldy in Crisis: Director Confirms Restructuring Amid Critical Situation

The Uruguayan dairy industry is on edge following statements by Daniel Reimer, the director of Claldy, who confirmed the company is facing a "compromised situation." Claldy is dealing with a financial crisis characterized by low profitability, alarming asset fragility, and an inability to access new lines of credit. This has pushed the company to a critical point where payments to employees and suppliers cannot be sustained, necessitating a painful restructuring. The restructuring focuses on three main areas: labor, financial, and commercial.

The labor aspect involves laying off 50 of 204 workers to increase productivity and efficiency, sparking conflict with the union, which accuses the company of creating a hostile work environment. Moreover, Claldy's new machinery is operating at only 25% capacity, a situation attributed to union actions, leading to commercial setbacks including losing a major client and a key relationship with Lactalis. This restructuring is the second for Claldy in a short timeframe, demonstrating the depth of the crisis and the need for substantial changes to ensure survival. Claldy's situation reflects broader challenges facing the regional dairy industry, including market volatility and labor relations complexities, with global dairy market stakeholders closely monitoring the outcome.