Sikeston bottling plant to lay off about 80 employees

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Around 80 employees at Cott Beverages Sikeston plant will lose their jobs in August.

David Bush, plant manager of the facility located at 301 Larcel Drive in Sikeston, said Tuesday afternoon the cutbacks are a way to refocus the efforts of the company. It reflects a reorganization of all categories and all products through the entire organization, he said.

"We're trying to refocus the plant and the company and balance the economy," he said. "It's happening throughout the organization at all levels -- this is in no way stating that we or anyone in this facility has done anything wrong, it's just the economy."

Bush said one change at the Sikeston plant will be a drop in bottled water production, but that's being reallocated to other plants.

"It's just business," he said. "It basically comes down to the cost of transportation and where it is more effective to produce what we have."

Employees who will be laid off effective Aug. 22 have been notified, said Bush. According to a letter distributed to employees Monday from Tim O'Shaughnessy, people manager, "those who work to Cott's reasonable satisfaction through then will have health benefits continued for three months."