ADM reduces workforce

11 January 2012 – Archer Daniels Midland Company plans to it streamline its organisational structure, reducing its global workforce to enhance the cost structure of the company. Approximately 1,000 positions, primarily salaried, will be eliminated, representing three per cent of the company’s total workforce worldwide. To help achieve this reduction, the company will offer a voluntary early retirement incentive in the US. ADM expects that these actions, in concert with other targeted cost reductions, will, when fully implemented, reduce its annual pre-tax expenses by more than $100 million (€78.8m).

“To ensure that we can continue to compete effectively in our global markets, we are taking actions to streamline our organisation and achieve significant, sustained cost reductions,” says Patricia Woertz, ADM chairman and chief executive officer. “These actions will help us enhance our productivity and earnings power.”

The company hopes to achieve a significant portion of the position reductions through the voluntary retirement incentive and will offer severance and outplacement assistance to other affected employees.

In its fiscal 2012 third quarter, ADM expects to record a $50m (€39.4m) to $75m (€59.1m) pre-tax charge related to these actions. The company expects to begin benefiting from the cost reduction actions in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, with the full benefit recognised by the end of third quarter fiscal 2013.

“These decisions do not reflect on the talent or dedication of our ADM team,” Woertz says. “They reflect our confidence that we can streamline our organisation while maintaining our ability to grow profitability, as well as our commitment to customers and to operational excellence.”