Jobs axed as firm split up

Jobs will be axed at an historic engineering firm whose new owners have announced they will split the company up, moving some production overseas.

Bloxwich Engineering Ltd went into administration last November and workers hoped its bursting order book would pave the way for it to be sold as a going concern.

But they were devastated when Birmingham-based Sonas bought the firm and revealed they are to split the company between sites in Birmingham and France. Most of the 100-strong workforce will lose their jobs.

It marks the end of an era for generations who have worked for the company which was established in 1915 as Bloxwich Lock & Stamping Company Ltd and first based at Bell Lane.

Sonas bosses told the workers in a crunch meeting yesterday that half of the company will move to Tyseley and half to France within six months of the official takeover on March 1.

They have learned that there are only "some" opportunities for workers in Birmingham.

When they took over the reins of the business last year, administrators Grant Thornton pledged to workers that they would try and sell the company as a going concern, citing its strong workforce and bursting orders book.

But it is now likely that most of the workers will be made redundant.

Today, Unite union official Caroline Crolley said that this was the worst possible news. She said: "This is a total kick in the teeth. This is not what we wanted. We wanted the workers to be taken on because this company was worth saving."

Talks are ongoing at the site which has been sold for an undisclosed amount.

Sonas Group was launched in December 2006. The business employs 1,000 and has a turnover of £100 million with Renault among its main clients.