Jobs Shock As Calsast Factory Closes

Local jobs have now been directly affected by the global downturn with news that a Co Londonderry engineering plant - manufacturing cylinder heads for the Ford Explorer - is to close down.

Workers at the Calcast factory in Campsie outside Londonderry have today been told it is to shut.

At a meeting between management and unions on Monday the company said the plant was to close "as a result of current market difficulties".

Out of the 102 people who are employed at the plant, 90 are to lose their jobs, while 12 will be offered jobs elsewhere.

However, it has been claimed that the decision to retain 12 employees means workers will only get one month's statutory redundancy notice instead of three.

A consultation period is now underway with unions.

On Friday, unions met management in Paris about the future of the plant.

Sales of such large vehicles have experienced a huge downturn worldwide in recent months and last week, Honda announced it was ceasing production for two months at Swindon while, earlier this month, BMW also announced it would be shutting its Oxford factory, which produces the Mini, for four weeks to cut production amid falling sales.

See: Honda Halt Production for Two Months