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| Job losses at car parts companies | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A car parts manufacturer has confirmed plans to close its Cardiff plant, with the loss of 157 jobs, while another 75 will go at a sister firm. | A car parts manufacturer has confirmed plans to close its Cardiff plant, with the loss of 157 jobs, while another 75 will go at a sister firm. |
| Car climate control system maker AB Automotive said its factory was not viable with more foreign competition. | Car climate control system maker AB Automotive said its factory was not viable with more foreign competition. |
| A further 75 jobs will go at a sister company in Rogerstone, near Newport, where a six-month redundancy programme has begun. | A further 75 jobs will go at a sister company in Rogerstone, near Newport, where a six-month redundancy programme has begun. |
| Unions described the proposed closure and redundancies as a "big blow". | Unions described the proposed closure and redundancies as a "big blow". |
| Explaining the closure plan in a statement, AB Automotive said the market for climate control systems has "experienced intense competition in recent years with relentless pressure to reduce prices and increasing competition from low cost regions such as China and Eastern Europe" | |
| It said over the last two years, the Cardiff operation has produced deteriorating financial results which have worsened further this year. | |
| Alternatives to redundancy | |
| After careful consideration, the company said, its directors "have reluctantly concluded that, despite management's actions to generate new business and reduce costs, the manufacturing operation at Cardiff cannot be made viable." | |
| The company also said it was likely that the residual UK business will be transferred to TT Electronics Integrated Manufacturing Services at Rogerstone, near Newport. | |
| The company is beginning a consultation period with all of its employees in Cardiff and it said "every effort will be made to investigate alternatives to redundancy". | |
| TT Electronics Integrated Manufacturing Services said two large customers have transferred their manufacturing requirements in house. | |
| It said it was pursuing new business opportunities but recognises that an equivalent amount of replacement business will not be found in the required timeframe, and so needs to reduce costs | |
| A redundancy programme of up to 75 employees is to take effect between July and December 2008. | |
| The company will enter into a consultation period with shop stewards and staff representatives during which alternatives to redundancies will be considered. | |
| The GMB union has called for urgent meetings with management at the two factories. | |
| Regional Organiser Ken Baker said: "The proposed closure in Cardiff and severe job losses proposed for Rogerstone will deal a big blow to the south east Wales economy if nothing can be done to stop it." |