16 January 2007 – Wavin UK announced this week that it proposes to close its Lichfield facility in Staffordshire and transfer injection mouldings activities to Doncaster.
The plastic pipe supplier said the Lichfield site offers no opportunity for expansion unlike the Doncaster facility.
Around 115 employees work at the Lichfield site and Wavin is currently in negotiations with the trade unions involved to reach an agreement.
Lichfield produces fittings, couplings and inspection chambers whereas Doncaster currently produces fittings, gutters and underground drainage materials.
Wavin spokesperson, Herbert Van Zijl, told PRW.com: “The main reason for the proposed closure is that we are seeking advantages of scale and we don’t have space for a further growth in scale.
“Within our industry we are always looking to optimise our manufacturing footprint which is an on-going process.”
Wavin currently has eight manufacturing sites in the UK and one in Ireland.
If the Lichfield closure goes ahead it will follow the transfer of extrusion operations in Padiham to Brandon and Chippenham that took place last year. This was done in order to integrate Hepworth Building Products bought by Wavin in 2005.
