Manufacturing takes a further blow

Unite Scotland has said today (February 18) that the imminent closure of Irvine-based mining and petro-chemical equipment manufacturer AMP Control UK, resulting in the loss of 60 jobs, is another hammer blow to the Ayrshire economy and Scottish manufacturing.

 
The company, known locally as the former Allenwest Wallacetown plant, confirmed to workers that final redundancies including 42 skilled manufacturing posts and 8 apprentices will be completed by 30 June.

 
AMP Control claimed tough market conditions in the global energy sector influenced their decision, fuelling the further decline of skilled manufacturing across Ayrshire following the recent loss of 170 posts at Kilmarnock firm Mahle Engine Systems.

 
“It goes without saying that our members are devastated and we will use every tool at our disposal to help them re-enter employment as quickly as possible and in areas where their skills are transferable,” said Unite regional officer Andy MacFarlane.

 
“Furthermore, we are very hopeful that all the modern apprentices will be immediately redeployed to other local firms where their development will continue.

 
“Yet once again our skilled workers are the victims of the on-going volatility in the energy sector and the sheer scale of global competition, particularly from China,” he added.

 
“When giants of the local economy like Johnnie Walker and Vesuvius shut their doors this company was lauded as an example of how jobs and skills could be sustained in Ayrshire but today it’s just another statistic in the decline of Scottish manufacturing.”