Carron Phoenix, a Falkirk-based manufacturer of granite sinks, has announced that it is to transfer production to a new factory in Slovakia by the end of 2017. This will result in the loss of around 200 jobs in Scotland.
The Swiss parent company Franke is also to close its plant in Brunssum in the Netherlands.
The GMB Scotland union has called for urgent intervention by the Scottish Executive government to “save over two centuries of skilled manufacturing”.
Carron Phoenix is best known for making the cannons used by the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo, the Royal Mail’s red postboxes and the iron casings that line the Clyde tunnel.
GMB Scotland officer Gary Cook said: “This is another ‘hammer blow’ to the Scottish economy, and the workers are absolutely devastated. Once again, Scottish workers are left pleading for Government intervention to try and save their livelihoods and skills.”