MORE THAN 150 job losses were announced yesterday as factories in Co Leitrim and Co Clare said they are to close and a Munster retailer went into liquidation.
Woco Irish Rubber Components said it was to shut down after 32 years in the town with the loss of 41 jobs. Cormac McCormack, the plant's general manager, said the decision was taken by its parent company in Germany. "It has come out of the blue for us all to be honest," he said.
The Tullyleague factory will close down at the end of next month, having provided jobs for people in the Leitrim/Roscommon border town since the 1970s.
Mr McCormack said there was widespread shock among the workforce at the closure. "The announcement was made today - it was made with regret - that the board of management of our parent company, Woco Germany, will close down production at our plant in Carrick-on-Shannon at the end of July," he said.
"The decision was taken due to increasing costs that are mainly beyond our control and a downturn in our market."
Meanwhile, Buffalo Technology Ireland announced 48 job cuts with the closure of its plant in Co Clare. Management said the company has recorded operating losses in the past two consecutive years and it was no longer feasible to serve its marketplace from the Shannon location.
"The reason for the closure is the Buffalo group's need to consolidate its operations in Europe in order to meet the needs of the markets which are concentrated in UK, Nordics, Germany, and southern Europe and are developing into eastern Europe and the Middle East," a spokesman said.
"The company has commenced consultations with employees in order to provide an appropriate redundancy package and support measures. The company is also in consultation with Shannon Development regarding the closure."
The firm, a subsidiary of Japanese-based Melco Holdings Inc, which assembled, tested and distributed data storage devices, has operated in the Shannon Free Zone since 1998.
It was also announced yesterday that about 80 jobs are to go at a leading Munster electrical goods retailer. Kielys Electrical Ltd announced that it is to go into voluntary liquidation. The company has outlets in Limerick, Killarney, Tralee, Ennis and Newcastlewest.