Wall Colmonoy – an update
12 November 2009
BETHAN Jenkins AM has continued to work to find a solution to plans for 19 redundancies at Wall Colmoney’s Pontardawe factory.
On Tuesday, she raised the issue in plenary, and secured a promise from the Welsh Assembly Government that it would look into the threatened job losses. Yesterday, Bethan both asked for a meeting with Wall Colmonoy’s Pontardawe managing director and also asked Deputy Skills Minister John Griffiths AM to investigate whether the company is eligible for funding.
Bethan said: “Since the start of the recession, ProAct has to date been offered to 139 businesses, and has helped retain 7,149 employees in work. I am also asking if our other fund, ReAct, might be applicable if ProAct is not.”
Wall Colmonoy has been based in Pontardawe for 40 years and employs 172 people, achieving an annual turnover of £22 million. The company operates three core businesses including: alloy products; processing departments; and engineering components.It has since told WAG that, during the course of the last six to eight weeks, its engineering components division has suffered a severe set back, with orders falling rapidly. Turnover, including custom from the steel, aerospace, food processing sectors, has dropped by approximately 35%. With the exception of Rolls Royce, all of its customers are predominantly located overseas.
The company has told WAG that it was forced to take such steps because otherwise the future viability of the business would have been in jeopardy, and it remains 100% committed to Pontardawe. Those people who have lost their jobs were told on Wednesday and are expecting to leave the company early next week.
Bethan added: “We must move quickly, but I still believe there is time to help here. I hope we hear back from Wall Colmonoy soon and then we can discuss what the Assembly can do to help these workers.”
