20/02/2004

Herdman's announce 270 redundancies

Herdman's linen textiles mill in Sion Mills in Co Tyrone has announced that 270 workers are to be made redundant on the closure of the plant.

The news of the impending redundancies was broken to employees earlier this week.

A spokesperson said that the redundancies were the result of unsustainable financial losses over the past three years.

The textiles market has been severely affected by low-cost imports, but it is understood that Herdman's plan to maintain a manufacturing facilty in South Africa.

The factory built in 1835, which currently employs around 270 people in Sion Mills, has operated variously as a munitions manufacturer, but had operated as a linen mill in recent years.

West Tyrone Sinn Féin MP Pat Doherty, said the jobs loss in Sion Mills was comparable to an "economic earthquake" hitting Strabane District.

Mr Doherty said: "“Given the magnitude of these job losses and the devastating impact on the livelihoods of so many people in this area, the closure of Herdmans is comparable to an economic earthquake hitting the District.

“Herdsmans has been the lifeblood of this community for over 150 years with

generations of the majority of families in Sion dependent on the Mill."

In one of the largest recent jobs losses, Desmonds closed down two Northern Ireland manufacturing factories with the loss of 300 jobs.

(SP)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

13 December 2001
Sion Mills hit by jobs blow at Herdman’s Mill
The Amalgamated Transport and General Worker’s Union (ATGWU) have released information that there are plans to cut 20 production and 10 craftsmen jobs at Herdmans’ Mill in Sion Mills, Co. Tyrone. No-one from the company was available to comment, but the union say that the cuts are due to this year’s poor flax crop.
01 April 2014
Old Mill Saddlery Scoops Business In Japan
Old Mill Saddlery in Carrickfergus has received Invest Northern Ireland assistance which has helped the company win its first business in Japan. The company was helped by Invest NI to develop a new e-commerce website that led to an order for its exercise saddles from one of Japan's leading race horse trainers.
16 December 2010
Building Jobs Losses Hit NI Dole Figure
The construction sector has again been highlighted as a major factor in rising unemployment levels. Figures released today for the period August - October 2010 show that the Northern Ireland unemployment rate has increased over the quarter to reach 7.6%.
18 June 2004
Jobs losses in Lurgan as Simtek Europe announces closure
An electronics manufacturing facility in Lurgan Co. Armagh is to close with the loss of 45 jobs. Simtek Europe blamed the closure on price competition and the downturn in the global economy.
30 April 2002
German-owned County Donegal plant axe 86 jobs
Eighty-six workers at the German-owned Ruibear Motair Teo (RMT) plant in Derrybeg, County Donegal have lost their jobs with the closure of the plant on Monday April 29. The company, which manufactures rubber car components for the European market, recently axed 25 jobs following a slowdown in business.