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| 7/7 memorial firm 'in difficulty' | 7/7 memorial firm 'in difficulty' |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| A company which won praise for its "incredible" memorial to the victims of the 7 July bombings says it has not escaped the effects of the recession. | A company which won praise for its "incredible" memorial to the victims of the 7 July bombings says it has not escaped the effects of the recession. |
| Norton Cast Products produced the memorial of 52 stainless steel pillars, which were unveiled in London's Hyde Park last week. | Norton Cast Products produced the memorial of 52 stainless steel pillars, which were unveiled in London's Hyde Park last week. |
| The Sheffield firm said it was proud of the work, but it and other foundries were seeing a downturn in business. | The Sheffield firm said it was proud of the work, but it and other foundries were seeing a downturn in business. |
| Some staff have been made redundant, while others are working fewer hours. | |
| Managing director Simon Alexander said he did not know what the steel pillars were going to be used for when his firm won the commission for the project. | Managing director Simon Alexander said he did not know what the steel pillars were going to be used for when his firm won the commission for the project. |
| 'Worrying' time | 'Worrying' time |
| He said some new orders had come in after the unveiling, but the next two years were still "going to be tough". | He said some new orders had come in after the unveiling, but the next two years were still "going to be tough". |
| He told BBC News: "It's been incredibly difficult, not least because we are a family business and we feel like all the workers at Norton are part of our extended family and unfortunately with the downturn in business we have had to make a number of people redundant. | He told BBC News: "It's been incredibly difficult, not least because we are a family business and we feel like all the workers at Norton are part of our extended family and unfortunately with the downturn in business we have had to make a number of people redundant. |
| "It's a fairly familiar picture but it's painful when it happens in your own business and furthermore we have seen further declines in business and we have had to instigate some shorter working time practices. | "It's a fairly familiar picture but it's painful when it happens in your own business and furthermore we have seen further declines in business and we have had to instigate some shorter working time practices. |
| Saba Mozakka said the memorial was "truly incredible" | Saba Mozakka said the memorial was "truly incredible" |
| "We have had to put the guys on to three days and I have got to say credit to them they have been very supportive of our efforts." | "We have had to put the guys on to three days and I have got to say credit to them they have been very supportive of our efforts." |
| Mr Alexander said the company was "going great guns" and working at full capacity until the early part of the year, when orders "effectively dried up". | Mr Alexander said the company was "going great guns" and working at full capacity until the early part of the year, when orders "effectively dried up". |
| Dave Sunderland, who has worked at the firm for three years, said the past few months had been "awful". | Dave Sunderland, who has worked at the firm for three years, said the past few months had been "awful". |
| He said: "It's not just this foundry, we are all getting devastated. It's worrying for everybody." | He said: "It's not just this foundry, we are all getting devastated. It's worrying for everybody." |
| He said foundries were "all fighting for a small pot and basically that's the problem". | He said foundries were "all fighting for a small pot and basically that's the problem". |
| At the unveiling Saba Mozakka, whose mother Behnaz died in the attacks, described the memorial as "truly incredible". | At the unveiling Saba Mozakka, whose mother Behnaz died in the attacks, described the memorial as "truly incredible". |
| Members of the bereaved families group said it was a "fitting tribute". | Members of the bereaved families group said it was a "fitting tribute". |