Saputo to Close Four Plants in Canada, U.S.</

Montreal-based Canadian dairy giant Saputo will close four of its plants in Canada and in the United States, citing efficiency reasons.

The company said that two of its plants in Alberta Canada and two U.S plants in Wisconsin and Maryland will close.

“Over the recent years, Saputo has maintained efforts to pursue additional efficiencies and decrease costs while strengthening its market presence,” the company said in a release.

Saputo says that production at the plants will be combined into its other facilities. The company said that the cost of upgrading the four facilities was too high. Closing the plants will save the company about $4.8 million a year.

The first round of closures will begin May 2014 and the last closure is scheduled to occur in December 2015. There will be approximately 180 employees impacted be the closures of the four plants.

Saputo is one of the top 10 dairy processors in the world and is the largest in Canada.