Estrella Galicia, about to stop its factories: “The situation is very serious”

Hijos de Rivera has not received raw materials or basic supplies since last Monday at its brewery in Estrella Galicia and Maeloc ciders, as a result of the transport strike, “which could mean the total paralysis of manufacturing activity as of this Friday”, March 18.

Company sources explain to the Economist that the situation they are facing “is very serious” for the manufacturing activity of this company based in A Coruña. The same happens with the material needed for the packaging of its Cabreiroá, Agua de Cuevas and Fontarel springs.

“What’s more, the stock of the products is at the limit in some logistics centers, the loaded trucks are stopped without being able to circulate or deliver and most of the distribution has been affected, even exports have been completely interrupted,” these same sources maintain. Likewise, by Hijos de Rivera it is condemned “any type of violence” on the occasion of these protests and ask for “a quick resolution of this conflict”.

Precisely, Brewers of Spain has warned this Thursday about “serious incidents” recorded as a result of the transport stoppage that have not only attacked freedom of movement, but have also generated material damage.

“These events can have a great impact on the supply of this drink, both in the distribution channel and in catering establishments,” said the entity, which has warned that in mass consumption the blockade is notable, given that are hampering deliveries on supermarket logistics platforms.

On the other hand, Cerveceros de España has affirmed that this drink can suppose up to 25% of the billing of the bars, a figure that reaches up to 40% in the case of small catering companies with less than ten employees. Thus, it has warned of the possible lower income and repercussion on employment in a sector so punished in the last two years in the event that beer is prevented from reaching these premises.

As he explained, the limitations on the free movement of vehicles also affect the entry and exit of all ingredients and derivatives of the beer production centers, such as bagasse (the rest of the cereal filtrate used in its preparation), which It is used as animal feed.

The association has recalled that the right to strike cannot limit the right to voluntary work and the free movement of vehicles, for which reason it asks the Government to reinforce surveillance and security to guarantee freedom of movement and business activity throughout Spanish territory urgently and appeals to the individual responsibility of all those involved.

Problems with mineral water

Likewise, the Galician Association of Natural Mineral Water Packaging Companies (Agamin) has warned of “problems” in the supply of mineral water. In a statement collected by EPdraw attention to the fact that the bottling plants “are at the limit” of their storage capacity, without supply of raw materials and “close to suspending their activity due to not being able to dispose of their production”.

Agamin is made up of six mineral water companies: Cabreiroá, Augas de Sousa, Fontecelta, Agua Sana, Sanxinés and Aguas de Cospeito. They have 250 direct jobs and 300 indirect ones. This entity warns that, “given the seriousness of the situation, they could be forced to launch ERTE procedures.

supply problems

The agri-food sector is being the most affected by this strike, causing some industries such as the dairy industry to have had to stop their activity due to lack of supplies. According to the interprofessional (Inlac), the shortage of milk and dairy products is already being noticed on the supermarket shelves.

Its capacity to transform and package product “remains reduced” in the face of a “total or partial” lack of raw materials and materials, according to sources from the federation of dairy industries. The situation therefore “has not changed significantly in recent hours” and he hopes that the measures put in place by the Government will take effect “as soon as possible”.

From Asturian Milk Center (Capsa Food) have pointed out, along the same lines, that the situation is “borderline”. Yesterday no truck could leave its facilities to distribute product to the points of sale, according to company sources.

For his part, the president of the main association of dairy farmers in Spain (Agaprol), Francisco Fernández, has communicated to Eph that, in general, milk continues to be withdrawn from farms. It is already the fifth day since this protest started and the second since the industry, associated with Fenil, assured that a majority of its associates would have to stop the activity due to the difficulty of traffic on the highways due to the action of the pickets.

For its part, the main employer of supermarket chains, Asedas, has called for the responsibility of the transport sector, especially of the conveners and the cessation of violent actions “as soon as possible”. Its general director, Ignacio García Magarzo, has pointed out that there does not have to be supply problems in a chain that has proven its effectiveness in very difficult circumstances.

On Mercamadrid, the most important food distribution center in Spain, the access of 62% of fueling vehicles compared to the same day of the previous week, which represents a “slight improvement” compared to 50% of previous days.