94 redundancies proposed at Witter Towbars firm

Witter Towbars is based on the Deeside Industrial Estate

More than 90 jobs are set to be lost at a towbar manufacturing base in Flintshire.

Witter Towbars has entered into a 90 day consultation with its employees and the Unite union over its plans to stop manufacturing on the Deeside Industrial Estate at the end of December.

Unite said it was "a devastating blow for the workforce and their families".

Witter Towbars said 94 roles "may be impacted", but about 60 others would be maintained at the Deeside site.

In a statement, the company said: "Horizon Global announced on 22 August, 2017 that it is considering a proposal in respect of strategic alternatives for its business based in Deeside, to ensure a sustainable business for the Witter brand in the UK".

It added "no decision has been made at this stage".

'Real shock'

Unite said Witter Towbars wanted to relocate production to "other low cost countries" in the Horizon Global group.

The union's regional officer Jo Goodchild said their priority is to ensure "members' valuable expertise and skills are not lost and are transferred to other employers in the sector".

Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant said he was "devastated" by the announcement.

"The firm is a long-established and valued employer in the area and this has come as a real shock," he said.

"The loss of 94 jobs is a big blow to the individuals involved, their families and to our community as a whole."

Mr Sargeant said he would be writing to the economy secretary to ask what support is available from the Welsh Government.