Nypro Waterford announces jobs blow

An international computer components maker today confirmed it could not live up to a pledge to employ more than 400 workers at a plant in Waterford.

Nypro opened in the city three years ago with the promise of hundreds of jobs but senior management revealed the company is now to end manufacturing at the site.

A total of 30 people will be let go at the multi-national’s south-east plant over the next few weeks. A number of staff will remain on at the factory.

Nypro Waterford Ltd said manufacturing operations would cease due to global restructuring by a major customer which has resulted in no demand for products made at the site.

Brian Jones, Nypro president and chief executive, said hopes of saving the factory were fading.

“Nypro Waterford has been one of our most successful manufacturing plants and we are very disappointed that their business is being eroded,” Mr Jones said.

“We continue to look for new business opportunities for this operation but time is running out.”

The move comes after 20 workers at the facility were told they faced redundancy last month. Nypro also employs around 270 people at a separate facility in Bray, Co Wicklow.

The company launched the south-east site in September 2001, as part of a four year plan to create 400 jobs in a €16.5m investment package backed by Enterprise Ireland.

Nypro announced during the summer they had lost a significant contract under competitive bidding.

Senior management are believed to be travelling across the United States tendering for new orders to replace the valuable deal.

At the height of production at the plant in 2003 almost 200 people were employed.

And the losses come just weeks after 75 jobs were lost after the closure of Kromberg & Schubert, also at the city’s industrial estate.

Nypro employs more than 11,000 workers at 60 plants in 17 countries around the world. Annual sales of their precision plastics and injection moulding devices hit more than €800m.