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| Bausch & Lomb set to axe 500 jobs | Bausch & Lomb set to axe 500 jobs |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| About 500 jobs are set to be lost after contact lenses manufacturer Bausch & Lomb announced plans to move production from West Lothian. | About 500 jobs are set to be lost after contact lenses manufacturer Bausch & Lomb announced plans to move production from West Lothian. |
| It has entered a 90-day consultation period with staff at its factory in Livingston. | It has entered a 90-day consultation period with staff at its factory in Livingston. |
| The company plans to move the work to existing sites in Ireland and the US. | The company plans to move the work to existing sites in Ireland and the US. |
| Bausch & Lomb, which has been in Livingston since 1996, announced a phased withdrawal from the site over the next year and early 2011. | Bausch & Lomb, which has been in Livingston since 1996, announced a phased withdrawal from the site over the next year and early 2011. |
| Gerald Ostrov, chairman and chief executive officer of Bausch & Lomb, was at the plant when local management informed employees of the news. | Gerald Ostrov, chairman and chief executive officer of Bausch & Lomb, was at the plant when local management informed employees of the news. |
| Strategic review | Strategic review |
| He said: "We are constantly considering a number of options to provide the necessary cash funding to enable our global growth plans. | He said: "We are constantly considering a number of options to provide the necessary cash funding to enable our global growth plans. |
| "As such, and after an extensive strategic review, we believe that focusing our resources on just two primary contact lens manufacturing plants is critical. | "As such, and after an extensive strategic review, we believe that focusing our resources on just two primary contact lens manufacturing plants is critical. |
| "The long-term cost savings - hundreds of millions of pounds - will provide crucial funding as part of a broader global effort to reinvest in our business, including increasing professional and consumer contact lens demand worldwide." | "The long-term cost savings - hundreds of millions of pounds - will provide crucial funding as part of a broader global effort to reinvest in our business, including increasing professional and consumer contact lens demand worldwide." |
| The company said it had chosen the sites at Waterford in Ireland and Rochester in New York state after a review. | The company said it had chosen the sites at Waterford in Ireland and Rochester in New York state after a review. |
| Factors in the choice included "proximity to established research and development resources, substantial total cost savings, global operational efficiencies, and future investment potential", the company said. | Factors in the choice included "proximity to established research and development resources, substantial total cost savings, global operational efficiencies, and future investment potential", the company said. |
| Mr Ostrov said the decision was "not a reflection of how our people in Livingston have performed, their professionalism, or their dedication". | Mr Ostrov said the decision was "not a reflection of how our people in Livingston have performed, their professionalism, or their dedication". |
| Bausch & Lomb bought Livingston-based contact lens manufacturer Award in 1996, which employed about 100 people at the time. | Bausch & Lomb bought Livingston-based contact lens manufacturer Award in 1996, which employed about 100 people at the time. |
| The Livingston site manufactures SofLens daily disposable contact lenses for global sale. | The Livingston site manufactures SofLens daily disposable contact lenses for global sale. |
| Bausch & Lomb employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. | Bausch & Lomb employs more than 10,000 people worldwide. |
| SNP MSP for Livingston, Angela Constance, said she was "deeply saddened and shocked" by the announcement. | |
| She said: "Unemployment in West Lothian is the highest in a decade. This is a devastating blow for the local economy and the 500 strong workforce who are highly committed, skilled and productive." | |
| Ms Constance said she wanted to make sure that everything possible was done for the workforce. | |
| "As closure is not imminent I want to ensure that all options other than closure have been fully explored and to establish what opportunities exist to mitigate this colossal job loss," she said. |