UP TO 70 Isle of Wight jobs will be lost at composites manufacturer Gurit following the transfer of prepreg production to Spain.
Prepreg production — where composite fibres are pre-impregnated with resin — is currently carried out by Gurit at two sites, its Newport factory and in Albacete, Spain.
The company said a sharp decline in the global demand for prepreg technology meant it could no longer continue production at both sites, and the entire operation would be transferred to Spain, starting next month.
The Isle of Wight jobs will be lost by summer next year.
In an announcement today (Tuesday), Gurit said: “While we have taken continuous steps to mitigate the effects from the changes in prepreg demand in terms of cost management and efficiency gains wherever possible over the last four years, consolidation in one manufacturing location has become inevitable in order to secure the competitiveness of our prepreg business in the long term.
“We will launch a consultation period with staff representatives to review proposals and to implement a socially acceptable programme for the reduction of staff. This includes redeployment to company vacancies wherever possible and reasonable.”
Other areas of work at the Newport factory, which employs more than 300 people, including development and production, customer service and technical support, will not be affected.
The cost of restructuring the business and transferring prepreg production to Spain will be £3.9 million.