Philips, the multi-national electronics company, has announced that production at its Hamilton factory will be cut significantly. It is entering consultation with workers and unions, and it hopes to be able to re-deploy some employees before production of several lines comes to an end early next year.
The factory specialises in manufacturing ‘outdoor light solutions’, such as street lighting and commercial fixtures. A third of the product ranges made there are to be discontinued, with the remainder being relocated to other sites across Europe, so that the company can “remain agile and competitive in an economic environment that continues to be challenging”. The factory, which was opened in 1947, will continue to manufacture sodium lamps.
In a statement, Philips said: “We have informed the workforce at our Hamilton facility that we are proposing to phase out the production of luminaires at the facility during the first half of 2014, with a number of product lines being transferred to other sites.
"The proposed phase-out will ‘impact’ 133 members of staff. Reductions in workforce are always difficult, and Philips is committed to providing affected employees with as much help, information and support as possible.”