This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_east/5393880.stm

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Threat to 250 car part plant jobs Job losses as company relocates
(about 19 hours later)
Around 250 jobs are under threat at a factory manufacturing car parts at Maesteg, south Wales. Around 250 jobs are being lost at a factory manufacturing car parts at Maesteg, south Wales.
Cooper Standard Automotive's plans to close its plant by December 2007, transferring the work to France and Poland, according to Bridgend Council. Cooper Standard Automotives plans to close its plant by December 2007, transferring the work to France and Poland, according to Bridgend Council.
The council said it was "disappointed" to learn of the closure plans. In a statement, the council said it understood the reason for the planned closure was reduced customer demand.
In a statement, it said it understood the reason for the planned closure was reduced customer demand. The council and the Welsh Assembly Government said they were "disappointed" to learn of the closure.
The council said 246 employees would be affected by the closure.
Bridgend Council leader, Councillor Cheryl Green, said: "This is sad news for the employees and their families.Bridgend Council leader, Councillor Cheryl Green, said: "This is sad news for the employees and their families.
"Basically jobs are being moved elsewhere in Europe and this is happening unfortunately all over now," she added.
"This is just the last in a series of manufacturing jobs that have been lost in the Bridgend area over the last number of years."
The council said 246 employees would be affected by the closure.
The company once employed 600 people but has been scaling down for the past 18 months.
An assembly government spokesperson said: "Officials from the Department for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks have supported the company in a number of areas over the years.
"More recently (the officials) have been in dialogue with them regarding the identification and implementation of cost-savings measures through a series of improvement initiatives.
"We are very disappointed with this announcement and will continue to work closely with both the company and the employees to look at what further support can be provided."
We need support in Maesteg badly to recover from this sort of position Councillor William TeesdaleWe need support in Maesteg badly to recover from this sort of position Councillor William Teesdale
"Together with our partners, we shall be doing all that we can to help them secure their futures." Ms Green said the council would also be doing all it could to help by working with the company and other partners to form a redundancy response team.
The authority also said it would be doing all it can to help by working with the company and other partners to form a redundancy response team.
The team would informing those directly affected about alternative job opportunities, training options, benefits and other support.The team would informing those directly affected about alternative job opportunities, training options, benefits and other support.
Ms Green said the company was a "big employer" in the area.
"There's going to be a big impact on some families - you might even get some families with up to four people working at that plant," she said.
The plant is in a division of the global company manufacturing weather seals for car windows and doors.The plant is in a division of the global company manufacturing weather seals for car windows and doors.
Bridgend councillor William Teesdale, whose Maesteg West ward includes the factory, said he had been informed of the closure plans by a factory employee, although he had not been told officially. Bridgend councillor William Teesdale, whose Maesteg West ward includes the factory, said: "It's quite a blow. It's a lot of jobs going in a town of this size.
He said: "It's quite a blow. It's a lot of jobs going in a town of this size. "We need support in Maesteg badly to recover from this sort of position. These are jobs that people don't have to travel for."
"We need support in Maesteg badly to recover from this sort of position. These are jobs that people don't have to travel for," said Mr Teesdale.