Wilo Group, one of the largest manufacturers of pumps worldwide, has announced the closure of its Limerick motor section with the loss of 85 jobs.

The company, which has been operating in Limerick's Raheen Industrial Estate for 23 years, informed the workforce of the news at a staff meeting yesterday morning. A company spokesman said it was consolidating its motor manufacturing operations in France as part of a drive to achieve efficiencies in the group, which employs more than 3,000 people worldwide.

The Limerick plant had manufactured industrial pumps and motors for Wilo plants in France, Germany, Korea and China.

Shocked staff were last night coming to terms with the announcement. They understood Wilo's future in Limerick was secure following recent changes.

Mr John O'Dwyer, a craftworker who has been with the company for 20 years, said: "We didn't see it coming. We worked very hard to get efficiency over the last 19 months by working in close touch with management. We were totally bewildered when the company made the announcement as it came like a bolt out of the blue."

Mr Dan Miller, assistant secretary of the Craftworkers Union, said the decision had been made on political grounds in France. "The Raheen plant workers in recent times have completely outperformed their French colleagues in their two plants on the continent," he said. "Somebody, somewhere made a very bad decision here today," he added.

Wilo Engineering Ltd, which handles sales, is not affected by the closure. It employs 12 people.

The closure comes into effect on January 24th.