As a response to its ongoing problems, Miller Brewing Co. will launch an “organizational restructure” that will include more job losses within the company, President-CEO Norman Adami has told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Plans have not been finalised, why no details are available. But the company will not close any more breweries after the Tumwater, Washington site shuts on July 1, Mr Adami said. Miller's woes will get worse for two or three more years before the current measures to turn the downward trend begin to show any results, the company's management believes. "The problems are deep", SABMiller President-CEO Graham Mackay says.

Miller has 950 employees within its corporate headquarters and 825 at its Milwaukee brewery. The company has 6,300 employees nationwide, including 333 at the Tumwater brewery, which Miller said in January would close by July 1 at a cost of $35 million.

Miller's U.S. market share is around 18.7%, compared with 19.6% last July. Sales volume dropped 6.2% during that same period, including a reduction of inventory among Miller's wholesale distributors.

23 May, 2003