Firm to axe 240 jobs
Two hundred and forty jobs are being axed at Ceramaspeed, one of Kidderminster's largest employers, because work is transfered to Poland.
The shock news was today broken by bosses to workers at the company, which makes glass ceramic heating elements and electronic control systems.
The company said the transfer of its assembly operations would be phased between January and December next year and that 100 jobs and some specialist production operations were expected to remain in the town.
Managing director Kevin Roberts said the decision was aimed at helping it compete with factories in other parts of the world.
He said consultations had begun with employees about the proposal to transfer manufacturing to Poland and that although production in Kidderminster could be reduced, some specialist production operations would be unaffected.
It is expected the global head office together with research and development and engineering will remain in Kidderminster, securing the jobs of 100 workers.
The company started manufacturing in Kidderminster in 1974 and moved to a purpose-built production site in Oldington in the town in 1994. About 340 people are currently employed at the production and head office operations at the site in Zortech Avenue.
Mr Roberts said: "We have a difficult decision to make in order to secure the viability of the company.
"We have to improve the company's cost structure and increase efficiency to protect our market share if we are to survive in a highly competitive environment.
"It is a fact our labour costs and overheads are higher than that of competitors who supply from Eastern Europe."
Mr Roberts said the announcement would be the start of a consultation process and if there were redundancies the company was committed to providing a support package for staff to help as many as possible find alternative jobs locally.
