Ambev to reopen Cympay plant in Paysandú with workforce restructuring

Ambev has announced plans to reopen its Cympay malt plant in Paysandú, Uruguay, scheduled to resume operations on January 1, 2027. The decision follows months of uncertainty and a production halt that began in March due to high logistics costs, unfavorable exchange rates, and declining regional demand for malt.

The reopening will involve an organizational restructuring aimed at adapting to current market conditions. Ambev stated that the measure is necessary to resume production while attempting to preserve as many jobs as possible, though production volumes will be lower than in previous years.

Labor unions have expressed concern regarding the restructuring. Ramiro Alza, president of the Ambev Paysandú union, noted that the company plans to reduce the workforce from 70 to 39 workers in the production sector. Including supervisory and management roles, the union estimates that more than 30 employees will be terminated. The union is seeking to minimize these layoffs through tripartite negotiations involving the Ministry of Labor.