ABOUT 250 jobs are to go at Pilkington's Triplex works at Eccleston as part of what the company describes as "worldwide reorganisation to improve competitiveness."

In a statement issued this week Pilkington says it will invest £35 million in state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment at its Triplex car glass factories at Eccleston, St Helens and Kings Norton, Birmingham. The investment will be split equally between the sites, but will result in some 250 job reductions at St Helens and about 80 at Kings Norton, in both cases spread over three years.

Union officials though have vowed to fight any compulsory redundancies, while St Helens Council chiefs expressed "concern and disappointment" at the level of job losses.

As part of scheme both factories will be equipped with new advanced glass bending furnaces and robotics which will be integrated with new lines for automatic pre-processing and printing of car glass parts. "The new investment will help increase yields and quality while at the same time reducing manufacturing costs," said Bryan McGinity, managing director of Triplex. "The two factories will increase their focus on the high-volume car glass market. The investment will equip them with technology essential to meet the future complex demands of the European car market."

The job reductions will take place between August, 1996 and late 1999. It is intended to achieve the reductions through natural wastage, redeployment, early retirement and voluntary redundancy. "Both the investment programme and the job reductions are essential if the St Helens and Kings Norton factories are to remain two of the key automotive glass manufacturing units in Pilkington's European operations," added Mr McGinity.

However, Allan Black, GMB National Officer for workers at the Triplex division of Pilkingtons, responded to the statement by saying "compulsory redundancies are not acceptable."

He added: "The GMB will seek every opportunity to save as many jobs as possible and will work with the company to achieve these redundancies through re-deployment, early retirement, and voluntary redundancy.

"While we welcome the company's commitment to invest in the UK, the decision by Triplex to take yet more jobs out of St Helens is disastrous for the local community. Companies like Pilkingtons have a responsibility to the local people. They should give something back to the community that has supported them for so long."

St Helens Council leader Dave Watts said: "Such a significant investment at Pilkington's Triplex works at Eccleston shows a welcome commitment to that site and the company's desire to maintain the plant as 'viable and efficient' within its European operations.

"However, the proposal does mean a loss of 250 jobs at the plant over the next three years - a third of the 750 employees currently working there. And although the company say this will be done through a programme of natural wastage, redeployment, early retirement and voluntary redundancy, it's still a bodyblow for the town. It still means 250 less job opportunities for our community on top of the 386 lost at Coats Vyella at Rainhill."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.