The restructuring events database contains factsheets with data on large-scale restructuring events reported in the principal national media and company websites in each EU Member State. This database was created in 2002.
West Midlands; Shropshire and Staffordshire; Stoke-on-Trent
Location of affected unit(s)
Longton and Barlaston
Sector
Manufacturing Manufacture Of Rubber And Plastic Products And Other Non-Metallic Mineral Products Manufacture Of Other Non-Metallic Mineral Products 23.41 - Manufacture of ceramic household and ornamental articles
207 jobs Number of planned job losses
Announcement Date
19 July 2006
Employment effect (start)
31 July 2006
Foreseen end date
1 January 2007
Description
Wedgwood has confirmed that a ceramics factory is to close in January with the loss of 117 jobs. Work at the Tuscan factory in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, will be phased out over the coming months before closing. Sixty staff will move to the nearby Barlaston site. Wedgwood hopes most of the redundancies will be voluntary.
Up to 90 jobs will also go - mainly at Barlaston - after the merger between Wedgwood and Royal Doulton last year. The site is both firm's headquarters. The company will be reviewing its earthenware range and said there could be more job cuts. Waterford Wedgwood bought Royal Doulton in 2005, but last month the company described the size of its losses over the past year as 'unacceptable'.
Losses narrowed to £129m ($239m) from £167m ($307m) the year before, but the Irish firm said the result was still 'disappointing'.
Sources
19 July 2006: BBC Website
Citation
Eurofound (2006), Wedgwood, Internal restructuring in United Kingdom, factsheet number 63798, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/63798.
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