Telford company urged not to close Welsh base
The Welsh Government has been asked to step in to help save the Whittan Group's storage locker production plant at Saltney in Flintshire which is set to close in January 2021 with the loss of 55 jobs.
The company is transferring its work from the Welsh/Cheshire border to its Telford headquarters.
Unite the union says it is a blow for the workforce especially after their efforts in supporting the battle against coronavirus by manufacturing the storage lockers for the Nightingale hospitals.
Unite regional officer Brian Troake said: “This is a devastating blow to the long-standing and loyal workforce at Saltney, many of whom have worked at the site for decades.
“Our members in Saltney deserve better treatment from the company, transferring this work to its Telford headquarters.
“Saltney is an economically viable site which boasts a full order book and a healthy future.
“The company should recognise its social responsibility towards its loyal employees and their families, and also to the wider community. This will also be a bitter blow for the local economy, especially in the middle of a pandemic.
“We would encourage the Whittan Group to work with Unite and the Welsh Government to explore every avenue available to prevent closure, including the chancellor’s new job support scheme as a way of avoiding compulsory redundancies.”
The site was first established to support the war effort during World War Two and has been manufacturing storage lockers for the last 40 years.
