Former meat industry giant ON THE ROPES after 134 years

One of the former meat industry giants, Subotica based plant „29. november“, that once hired 3,000 people and exported meat all over Europe, was finally shut down after 134 years of existence, two bankruptcies and the sale of machines and equipment for scrap metal. As published by the „Vecernje novosti“ daily, the plant in question was founded in 1885 by Rafael Hartmann and Wilhelm Conen, and back in 1925 it delivered 140,000 turkeys to the London market. After the World War II and nationalization, the plant was given a new name, in glory of the Republic Day, and in time it managed to become one of the biggest plants of meat industry in the new state. The first bankruptcy proceeding was initiated in 1998, when all 2,500 workers were discharged. Despite that, revitalization of the plant was attempted after 2000, but debts kept piling up and bankruptcy was declared yet again in May 2009. Sale of the plant failed couple of times, and in 2016 machines and equipment were sold to an Austrian enterprise that does business with secondary raw materials. A year later plant complex was sold as well, along with the farm, siloes, and arable land. Funds obtained this way were mostly used to cover debts for taxes and town construction land, while workers did not get anything, thus most of them cannot bridge service periods and retire, the „Novosti“ daily reports.

Izvor: Beta