100 jobs at risk at world famous Staffordshire toilet maker Armitage Shanks
Around 100 jobs are under threat at the historic Staffordshire toilet maker Armitage Shanks under proposals to close a production kiln.
Factory owners Villeroy & Boch Group said the proposal to close one tunnel kiln at the site in Old Road in Armitage with Handscare near Rugeley will"potentially" impact 100 employees and that the proposal is part of a strategic realignment to streamline capacity.
Bosses are now launching a 45-day consultation period with the trade unions and employee representatives at the plant.
The group said the move is also being made under a wider evaluation of its global manufacturing footprint which aims to ensure efficient operations and overall cost-competitiveness within a highly competitive marketplace.
The company's UK director Lisa Whitfield said: "This is an incredibly difficult announcement to make. We recognise the impact this proposal will have on our employees, their families, and the community and we are grateful for the dedication and hard work of our site manufacturing team.”
Meanwhile the GMB union's Midlands organiser Justine Jones said the kiln closure plan is “bad for business and bad for Staffordshire”.
“We are on the verge of a house building revolution in this country, demand for UK manufactured sanitary goods could be at record highs. Our ceramics firms are once again feeling the pinch of sky-high energy costs. Our union will not stand by and let workers pay the price."
Villeroy & Boch said that the UK is among its largest markets with brands including Ideal Standard and Armitage Shanks and that commercial roles and its central distribution center will not being affected by the proposal. It added that the company is committed to maintaining a strong commercial and manufacturing presence here and does not expect any disruption for customers.
Last August union members voted in favour of strike action over pay with workers saying they were disappointed with the rate of increases over in the previous years, but the dispute was resolved following successful negotiations with company bosses.
Toilet and bathroom fittings maker Armitage Shanks was founded in Rugeley by Thomas Bond in 1817 and is now part of Ideal Standard.
In 2009 production was hit as demand by property developers fell and the construction industry and homeowners reined back on improvements due the credit crunch and the workers faced short-time working.
