WORKERS at a troubled Holcombe Brook company are being given the chance to relocate to Blackpool or lose their jobs.

That is the difficult decision being faced by nearly 100 workers at Arvin Industries Inc. which is preparing to move its car exhaust manufacturing operation from Redisher Works to the seaside town after more than 20 years.

The company, which has plants across the country, is blaming its decision to close the site on increased competition in the market.

Steve Mitchell, one of the company managers, told the Bury Times: "We have a large factory in Blackpool which is only half full. The market as it is means we have to drive down our costs and as such we cannot afford to run two sites. "We cannot relocate the Blackpool site because of size and have no choice but to close this site."

The firm employs 89 full-time staff and 20 temporary and agency staff.

Mr Mitchell added: "All full-time workers will be offered a position at the Blackpool site and, depending on how many take-up the offer, we will then contact the temporary and agency staff."

Arvin Industries Inc., which produces in excess of a million exhausts a year, has traded under various names. It began under the business banner of Atherton Exhausts and after several changes reverted to its current name eight years ago. Its parent company is Arvin Industries of the USA. In 1996 the firm clinched the contract to manufacture exhausts for car giants Toyota.

Mr Mitchell concluded: "It is very sad that we have had to take the decision to close the site, which has been here for more than 20 years. Some of the workers have been here since they left school."