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Ballymena cigarette factory JTI Gallaher to close Ballymena cigarette factory JTI Gallaher to close
(35 minutes later)
Cigarette maker JTI Gallaher is to shut its factory in County Antrim with the loss of almost 1,000 jobs. Cigarette maker JTI Gallaher is to shut its factory in County Antrim with the loss of about 800 jobs.
Workers at the Ballymena plant are receiving their redundancy notices on Tuesday.Workers at the Ballymena plant are receiving their redundancy notices on Tuesday.
North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jr said the redundancies would begin in May 2016.North Antrim MP Ian Paisley Jr said the redundancies would begin in May 2016.
He said the announcement "effectively starts a 90-day consultation with workers not only in Ballymena but across JTI's European footprint to cease production". He said the announcement "effectively starts a 90-day consultation with workers, not only in Ballymena but across JTI's European footprint, to cease production".
"Each year almost £60m is pumped into the local wage economy by JTI - from 2017 that will be over. 'Significant changes'
"Each year almost £60m is pumped into the local wage economy by JTI - from 2017 that will be over," he said.
Gallaher, which made Silk Cut and Benson & Hedges cigarettes, was taken over by Japanese firm JTI in 2007.Gallaher, which made Silk Cut and Benson & Hedges cigarettes, was taken over by Japanese firm JTI in 2007.
The factory is a major employer in Ballymena.The factory is a major employer in Ballymena.
JTI said it was restructuring its manufacturing facilities "as a result of significant and sustained changes impacting its global business".
"The challenging economic environment, excise tax pressure coupled with illegal trade has triggered industry volume contraction in a number of key European countries," it said.
The company said these problems had been compounded by EU cigarette packaging legislation.
It said it had begun consultations on proposals to close its facilities in Northern Ireland and Belgium, with production possibly moving to Poland and Romania.
The firm said its restructuring would be phased in, with factory closures completed between 2016 and 2018.