WORKERS at a city window manufacturer were remaining

tight-lipped last night after  it was revealed that up to

45 jobs are to go from the company.

Meanwhile, the GMB trade union has said it is ‘very difficult’

to find alternative employment for those who are to lose their

jobs at Solaglas – but they are ‘trying’.

The jobs are to be cut as part of a restructuring by the window

manufacturer, based at a plant in Plympton.

The firm is the largest processor, distributor, installer and

repairer of glass-related products and systems in the UK – and

it is axeing the posts as it ceases production at the Plympton

base.

The company is retaining a presence in the city, but only as a

distribution centre.

Stuart Fegan, senior organiser of the GMB in the South West,

said: “We are looking to try to get as many  people as

possible employed elsewhere, but it is very difficult.

“We might be able to get the number of redundancies down by

maybe six or seven people, but at least 38 people are going to

be made redundant in the next two or three weeks.

“We will obviously keep trying, but the expectation is that the

plant will close as a manufacturing plant on July 4.”

Solaglas makes double-glazed units for use in windows, doors

and conservatories, but the company is planning to move

production to its headquarters in Coventry.

Steve Jones, managing director of Solaglas’s DGU division,

said: “The Coventry site has the space, capacity and equipment

to supply a broader range of products, in greater volumes,

enabling Solaglas to meet the current and future needs of our

South West customers over the long term.

“Service levels will certainly be maintained in terms of

quality, delivery and lead times on core product groups.”

Although he admitted that the proposed plans would result in

some redundancies, Mr Jones added the opening of a Regional

Distribution Centre on the same site in Plymouth would mean the

creation of a small number of new positions.

Workers leaving the company last night told The Herald that

they were unable to make any comments.

But one, who did not want to be named, said that the mood among

workers was not angry and that the company had worked with the

union and done everything by the book.

He said 12 workers were expected to remain at what will become

the distribution centre and others could be offered jobs at the

manufacturing centre in Coventry.

He agreed that no-one wanted to be made redundant, but that was

“the state of the glass industry”.