New chair of Isle of Man Meats company appointed

The plant at Tromode receives an annual £2m government subsidy

A new chair of the Isle of Man's meat plant has been appointed after a period of uncertainty.

Nigel Davis takes over from Clare Barber MHK who has held the position on an interim basis since November.

She stepped in following a damning audit last year, which found that the facility faced major challenges.

Mr Davis said he was excited to join the company and that he aimed to act "in the best interests of the Isle of Man taxpayers, farmers and consumers".

Run by Isle of Man Meats, the plant in Tromode had been operating at a loss and needed an annual subsidy of about £2m to stay in business.

'Crucial time'

The report by Birnie Consultancy said the facility had "poor customer service, slow processing, high operating costs, unskilled staff, product damage and poor adherence to legal requirements".

However it also said that with better leadership, the plant could "easily" increase throughput.

Mr Davis is a qualified chartered accountant with a degree in biology and chemistry and previously worked for Cola-Cola as country general manager in Switzerland, Bulgaria and Belarus.

Ms Barber said he brought "a lifetime of experience and knowledge to the business at a crucial time" and she was "confident he can help ensure the long-term viability of this strategic asset".

"A functioning meat plant performs a pivotal role at the centre of Manx agriculture and the island's strategic food security policy. I am confident we have found the right person for the job," she said.