Jobs facing axe in work switch

Manufacturing jobs may be lost in Kingswinford under plans to transfer work to Germany, it was revealed.

Kennametal Manufacturing UK might move metal manufacturing from Pensnett Trading Estate - with fifteen positions affected if proposals go ahed.

Under plans being discussed, the tool reconditioning unit, which employs five people, would stay.

Human resources manager, Colin Benefer, said: "At this stage it is only a proposal. We are in the process of consulting affected employees and their representatives.

"Manufacturing is only a small part of the site. It is mostly a UK sales operation.

"What the manufacturing workshop does is makes specific tools, deigned for customer, requirements for non-UK customers.

"There is also a tool reconditioning unit, which does work for UK customers but there no plans to move that.

"The reason the proposal has come about is that there is a large factory in Germany which does the same type of work and has the capacity.

"There could be advantages to taking advantage of its scale. At this stage I don't know when it would happen. We are talking to people and will see where it takes us."

Mr Benefer added: "This proposal is not a reflection on the ability and commitment of the people who work here.

"The team has done and is doing a great job and we appreciate the work they are doing."

Tom Keogh, regional organiser for the Amicus arm of the Unite union, said he was meeting the union rep and workers at Kennametal yesterday.

Kennametal Manufacturing UK employs about 120 people at Kingswinford. It is part of US-based Kennametal Inc, a supplier of tooling and engineered components. Founded in 1938, it employs about 14,000 personnel worldwide.

By Heather Large