UNION leaders today urged the new owners of

Karrimor to keep manufacturing in East Lancashire.

Talks are under way at the outdoor clothing firm with workers fearing up to 80 job losses if plans to stop manufacturing go ahead.

The news came just days after the firm was sold in a £9million deal to Cullinan, a South African firm.

The firm plans to move manufacturing to another factory, believed to be in Sunderland, to save costs.

Cathy Rudderforth, regional industrial organiser for the Transport and General Workers Union in the town, wants to know why manufacturing cannot be kept in Clayton-le-Moors

"The firm has indicated that it is able to get the manufacturing done cheaper elsewhere in the country. We are interested to know how this other factory can produce garments so cheaply and are concerned it may involve cheap labour.

"I have asked them to come back with proposals but they have said it would mean a cut in pay and an increase in productivity. "

A consultation period has started and no redundancies have yet been announced but heavy job losses seem inevitable. Around 100 jobs have already been lost at the firm over the past two years.

A major restructuring of the firm is under way and the new owners have decided to turn Karrimor into a sales, marketing and distribution company rather than a manufacturing firm.

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said he was extremely concerned about the situation.

"I am at a loss to see why manufacturing in Sunderland would be cheaper than in East Lancashire.

"Karrimor is an internationally known firm and one of Hyndburn's best regarded manufacturers. If that was to end it would be terrible news."

The new owners have so far not issued any comment on the situation.

Workers are still furious over the way the announcement was handled.

"On the Wednesday the employees were told their jobs were safe and the day after they told them there would be job losses. We want to know how on earth that can happen," said one.

Earlier this week Cullinan bought 83.3 per cent of Karrimor with the remaining 16.7 per cent going to an unnamed private investor.

For the past two years Karrimor has been owned by 21 Invest, the investment arm of the Italian Benetton family empire. 21 Invest will retain control of Karrimor shops following the deal.

Cullinan, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, was founded by Sir Thomas Cullinan in 1902. The group includes the Cadac brand of camping and barbeque equipment - the biggest in Africa.

Karrimor, one of East Lancashire's longest established companies, began as a manufacturer of cycle bags in the 1940s. It sells products including rucksacks, clothing and footwear to 22 countries worldwide.

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