Firm attempts to save ‘as many jobs as possible’

MANAGEMENT at a Cork company said yesterday they are actively seeking new business which could offset the large number of job losses they announced earlier this week.

Banta Global Turnkey, which manufactures hardware and manuals for computer and electronics companies, has said that it may have to lay off 200 of its 350-strong workforce early next year.

However, company spokesman Kieran O’Byrne said that 200 was a provisional figure and every effort was being made to seek out new business, which, if successful, would significantly reduce that figure.

“We will be trying to save as many jobs as possible,” Mr O’Byrne said.

It is understood the decision to announce potential job cuts was prompted on Thursday after the Banta Global Cork operation lost a significant Hewlett Packard (HP) contract to another of its plants in the Czech Republic.

Even though the Cork-based jobs will not be lost until next January or February, the company is already understood to have offered redundancy terms to its workers.

SIPTU assistant branch secretary Marie Kearney confirmed that a redundancy package had already been proposed.