Waterford to lose 38 jobs as tool-maker plans closure

WATERFORD is facing further job losses as German industrial products and services company Gühring Group proposes to wind down its operations over the next two years.

It is envisaged that a total of 38 jobs will be lost in the phased closing of its manufacturing plant, which is scheduled to begin next year.

The company has a base in the IDA-run industrial estate in Waterford, where hundreds of jobs have been lost in recent weeks.

In a statement, Gühring Group yesterday said: “Following a strategic review of the Gühring Group’s operations in Europe, G-Elit Prazisionswerkzeug GmbH is proposing the closure of its manufacturing plant in Waterford on a phased basis over the course of 2012/2013.”

Gühring Group manufactures precision tools and machine tools.

If the proposals proceed, the plant closure will “regrettably result” in the loss of up to 38 jobs, according to the statement.

It is envisaged that redundancies at the plant will take effect in two tranches, in March 2012 and January 2013, the statement said.

Staff will enter a consultation process with management on the issue.

Gühring Group said it was “committed to working through its proposals with staff respectfully and sensitively”.

On October 7, 575 workers at the TalkTalk, also on the IDA industrial estate, were made redundant following a 30-day consultation period.

Just days before that, Rigney Dolphin, an employer of more than 1,000 people at facilities in Waterford, Dublin and Dundalk, confirmed that a decision by a client to move an “existing client contract to another provider based in Cork had an impact on job numbers”. It has been reported that 130 jobs at the company, based at the city’s IDA industrial estate, are in jeopardy.

It is understood that Rigney Dolphin recently lost an Eircom account to international company, First Source Solutions.