ELECTRICAL accessory workers are still reeling after the announcement that 96 jobs are to be axed only 18 months after a new factory was built.

Workers at electrical cable assembly group Volex had been promised the massive £3million investment would secure jobs.

But in a shake-up, 96 jobs are to be lost at the Leigh plant with a further 89 in South Wales with the closure of a factory there.

Only two years ago, the 1,000 workers at Volex Powercords factory on the Hope Carr Estate in Leigh were assured their jobs were safe after the construction of a high-tech plant.

The company, which also has branches in Hindley Green and Scotland, moved into its new purpose-built 110,000 square foot premises in August 1997.

The then managing director Frank Kennedy said at the time: "We are also guaranteeing jobs for all our existing staff by building the new factory in Leigh. We have a high skill factor here with loyal staff which we do not want to lose."

But the company, a world leader in power cord manufacturing, now says a drop in price coupled with the high pound has meant it is transferring production to Far East plants.

Divisional Managing Director of Volex Powercords Tom Barber said: "Our workers have been aware of the difficult commercial market we operate in.

"It's obviously a very sad time."

"But there has been unprecedented price pressures this last year from suppliers throughout the world.

"We are having to use capacity in our South East Asia plants."

Formerly known as Ward and Goldstone, the company has been based in Leigh for more than 30 years.

The cuts will come at the division's power cord operations, which make electric cables for computers and other goods - supplying companies including Compaq and Hewlett Packard.

The company, based in Birchwood, Warrington, said it would continue investing in its automated power cord plant at Leigh.

The cuts, which will shed more than 10% of Volex's UK workforce, are expected to be brought in over the next three months, after a four-week consultation with workers.

Volex's electronic interconnect cable assembly operations, which make cable systems for the telephone market, are not affected by the announcement.

Volex currently employs 1,700 staff in the UK and 7,000 worldwide.

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