Steel giant Tata to axe 110 jobs

Steel giant Tata is to axe 110 jobs at one of its main UK plants under a “recovery plan”, it has announced.

The cuts will hit the Corby site in Northamptonshire, part of the firm's Tubes business, which is also cutting almost 100 jobs at three other factories in Europe.

Tata said the move was aimed at matching business operations to market demand and focused on efficiency improvements and cost reductions in response to weak economic conditions.

Remco Blaauw, managing director of Tata Steel's European Tube business, said: "Our announcement today follows a detailed review of all our European tubes activities.

"In response to the prolonged downturn in all European markets for tubes, and in the context of intense competition, the measures announced today are designed to bring these sites into a sustainable financial position.

"Our priority is to minimise the impact on our employees, and to assist affected colleagues through a difficult process.

"Our goal is to secure a sustainable tubes business which will not only weather the current economic storm, but can prosper in the future."

Michael Leahy, general secretary of the Community union, said: "This is a massive blow for the workforce in Corby who have done everything expected of them to keep the site viable.

"The impact on the local community and families will be particularly hard.

"We are arranging an urgent meeting with Tata Steel Tubes to demand assurances there will be no compulsory redundancies and to explore all other options available.

"We also want a clear commitment from Tata Steel to the long-term security of the site at Corby."

PA