Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely, has responded to the news that around 70 jobs will be lost from Gurit’s Newport plant.
Bob said,
“This is very sad news and I will be seeking a meeting with managers at Gurit to fully understand the thinking behind this decision, how they intend to limit the redundancies, and, crucially, what support there will be to help those who will lose employment.
“Gurit remains a big employer on the Island and it is a comfort to know other parts of the business based here will not be affected. My hope is the number of job losses will be kept to a minimum as people leave and other opportunities within the company arise.
“I do understand businesses must look at their operations and sometimes this can lead to job losses, but when it happens it’s always a very unsettling time and my thoughts are with those who will now undergo the consultation process the company has set up.
“In the meantime, I will liaise with the council to find out their thoughts and if there can be extra support for those who do lose their jobs.”
Gurit explained the job losses were due to “the technology change from the use of pre-impregnated fibres (prepregs) to infusion technology for the production of wind blades in the global wind energy industry over the past 10 years”.
Image: © With kind permission of Allan Marsh
