Scores of assembly workers have been made redundant at a Willenhall lockmakers firm after production was moved to Eastern Europe, it has emerged.
A total of 80 jobs have gone at CE Marshall Ltd, owned by Assa Abloy.
Some of the devastated staff worked at the plant, in Church Street, for more than 40 years.
The factory manufactures locks for vehicles and supplies big name car makers including Ford.
It is thought Assa Abloy (UK) is set to transfer the business which has operated in the town since 1942 to the Czech Republic after a team was sent to teach workers there the skills.
Former assembly worker and union representative Rita Potter was among the 80 to leave last week as part of a phased redundancy programme.
She said: “Assa Abloy have done to us what they did to Yale a few years ago when they closed the Wood Street plant and it’s all about profit at the end of the day. This is the reality of globalisation. Willenhall is now a shadow of its former self.
“There will be a knock-on effect for the community for families, shops and the market which relied on firms like CE Marshalls.”
A spokesman for Assa Abloy was unavailable for comment.
10 Comments
lETS JUST HOPE THAT ALL THE DIRECTORS OF CE MARSHALL GET MADE REDUNDENT AS WELL. WILLENHALLS LOCK INDUSTRY.IS SUFFERING A SLOW LINGERING DEATH.
This sounds daft to me, the company is moving to Eastern Europe.
Who are they going to get to work for them? the workers in Eastern Europe are coming to England!!
I just hope there clients will ask them to reduce there prices to allow for the drastic drop in there wage bill.
Ye,sum hope!!
Yet more jobs go in Willenhall and not a peep from the local Labour MP. Time to kick him out at the next election.
The reality is that during the 18 months since the closure was announced, a total of 240 jobs have been lost. These are just the latest batch. The few remaining employees will be made redundant before christmas. So really, there will be a total of nearly 300 jobs lost from there.
It is, sadly, a sign of the times.
Yet again UK jobs get shipped abroad. When will our government wake up and give businesses help and support with tax breaks etc to keep jobs and skills here? Rover went then HP is makes me sick. At the end of the day we will all suffer as it will eventually have a knock on effect everywhere. We used to be the envy of the world now we are abig joke!
I do wish UK Business would show some imagination. How about outsourcing the management of companies to eastern europe and keeping the workforce in the UK?
c e marshall closed weeks ago. the site has been targeted my metal thieves. now has 24hr security and is part demolished.
WHATS GOING ON? ALL THE ASSEMBLY WORK IN THIS COUNTRY MOVING TO THE REST OF WORLD(HP,LOCK MAKING,ROVER)THE REST OF EUROPE,AFRICA AND ASIA MOVING INTO THIS COUNTRY.WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE WHOSE WHO’S ANCESTORS MADE WILLENHALL THE TOWN IT IS TODAY GOING TO WORK.IT IS AS THOUGH IT IS A CRIME TO BE ENGLISH AND WANT TO WORK.
Comment in response to U2 Wolf:
For your information, C E Marshall is closing altogether, full stop, end of. EVERYONE who works there will be loosing their jobs, including Directors, Managers and all Supervisory staff. Little do you know how much blood, sweat and tears have gone into trying to save this section of the Assa Abloy corportation. And Dudley Bloke, your comments make no sense! The reason jobs are being out sourced to Eastern europe is because UK customers are demanding lower prices. They are going to suppliers and vendors already located outside of the UK, and this is what forces the smaller factories and businesses out of the market.
as everything is moving to the eastern block country’s will the eastern block people be moving back i don’t think so it’s an easy life here free health free housing money for nothing etc,so as our company’s move east our taxses will keep going up and up to pay for this mess nu labour have made.