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100 sacked as jobs go overseas
ONE hundred Blackpool workers are to be sacked and their jobs moved overseas.
The proposed closure of Emcon Technologies' South Shore factory – which produces car exhaust systems for leading car makers such as Jaguar and Toyota – will see all 104 members of staff made redundant.
News of the closure comes as new figures show a sharp rise in unemployment across the Fylde coast.
In some places, such as Blackpool South, the jobless total has doubled in just five months.
Emcon bosses today admitted the company – formerly part of ArvinMeritor – had been hit hard by a global downturn in sales.
Alan Cavill, Blackpool Council's Assistant Director of Enterprise and Business Development, (above), described the announcement as 'upsetting'.
Alfred Blueml, the Operations Vice President (Europe and South Africa), said: "In line with many other suppliers within the automotive industry, our business has suffered a significant drop in sales across the whole of Europe.
"We have analysed the distribution and logistics involved in getting products to our customers and the over-capacity within our own plants and we propose to move production of the manifold and assemblies currently made at Blackpool to some of our other locations in Europe.
"The Blackpool site has a long and proud tradition of automotive manufacturing, and the prospect this may end saddens us all."
Emcon, which employs 6,700 people across the world, has bases at Squires Gate Lane and in Warton.
It is not yet known if the South Fylde operation is affected, or where the Blackpool jobs are heading.
However, one Emcon worker today told The Gazette Blackpool staff had been informed work would be outsourced to Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands before the end of August.
Gordon Marsden, MP for Blackpool South, said he was saddened by the news.
He said: "This is obviously a great concern.
"I've been in contact with the company and intend to meet with them to talk about the situation. We need to see if anything can be done to minimise redundancies. I know the plant very well and good work has taken place their for more than 80 years. I think it should be put on record the staff there are very hard working and skilled."
And town hall chiefs said the council had done all it could to help the failing plant.
Alan Cavill, Blackpool Council's Assistant Director of Enterprise and Business Development, said: "I've worked with this company for many years so it's upsetting to learn of these proposed job losses.
"Unfortunately as the car industry slows down it is inevitable that associated companies will also begin to struggle.
"In recent years the council has worked closely with the company and have tried to do all we can to keep them in Blackpool and keep jobs secure. We are already arranging to offer help and advice to all the staff that are facing redundancy."
For the full story, see Thursday's Gazette.
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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