The familiar smell of tobacco is likely to disappear forever from the city of Groningen. The BAT Niemeyer factory will be closed permanently
Translated by Adriana Dancu
According to the FNV trade union, the 185 employees were informed on Monday afternoon about the closure of the factory on Paterswoldseweg. The plan is that Niemeyer, known for ‘Samson shag’ tobacco, will close in the third quarter of 2022- says British American Tobacco (BAT), and reported by RTV Noord.
Due to a collapsing market for cigarettes and rolling tobacco, the tobacco producer has to shrink its productions, and so Groningen production of tobacco will probably be transferred to cheaper production locations in Hungary and Germany.
Various scenarios
BAT previously announced that it was investigating the closure of the Groningen factory. It was also examined whether other work could be done at the location in the city, but the decision has been taken to close the factory permanently.
Meindert Niemeyer
The end of more than two centuries of tobacco production in Groningen. In March of 1819, Meindert Niemeyer started producing tobacco for the Wapen van Rotterdam brand. Later when his son Theodorus took over the company, production was expanded considerably. In the Second World War, the factory temporarily switched to the production of tea and coffee.
On its 150th anniversary, the factory was awarded the Royal designation. The Koninklijke Theodorus Niemeijer BV merged in 1999 into the Rothmans cigarette business, which later merged into British American Tobacco.
