THE grim reality of dozens of redundancies has hit home for another historic Hyndburn firm.

Altham-based textile group James Dewhurst has made some 50 job cuts, caused primarily by a slowdown in its European markets.

One of its production areas hit by the global recession has been the range of insulation and roofing products it supplies to the construction industry.

Chief executive Miles Brierley confirmed the company, established in 1933, had made two rounds of redundancies, one before Christmas and another in recent weeks – amounting to 20 per cent of staff across all sections of its UK workforce, whose headquarters are on Altham Lane.

He said the redundancies were a last resort and the firm, considered to be a market leader in Europe, had also been forced to close its plant in southern Hungary, with 30 job losses. Its US manufacturing operation is also experiencing difficulties.

Mr Brierley described the job cuts as "very unfortunate".

He said: "We are in an industrial textile group which primarily sells into Europe. Some of our markets have experienced a slowdown and we have adjusted accordingly. We hoped that it would pick up but it was clear that it wasn’t going to."

A leading manufacturer of engineered technical textiles, the firm has been owned by the Brierley family since 1991, but last April sold a significant stake to private equity firm AAC Capital Partners.

But Mr Brierley added that the outlook for the medium term was positive as the company was diverse and had a broad spectrum of activity, while some competitors were in a "worse condition".

He added: "We would like to thank people for all the support we have had."

Fraser Eagle is forced to cease trading

AROUND 120 people have been made redundant from travel company Fraser Eagle after the administrators were called in.

Accountants Baker Tilly decided it was not possible for the struggling business to continue trading.

It is now hoped to divide the business and sell parts off to recoup some of the losses.

Only a skeleton staff will remain in their positions to assist the administrators.

The business, which has pulled out of its five-year stadium sponsorship deal with Accrington Stanley, was placed into administration on Tuesday.

The subsidiaries affected by the administration are Fraser Eagle Ltd, Fraser Eagle Property Holding Company Ltd and Fraser Eagle London.

The firm, which operates coaches, runs a travel agency and provides rail replacement transport, is based at Shuttleworth Mead Business Park in Padiham but has strong roots in the town.

Its Great Harwood car sales business had already closed.

Administrator Lindsey Cooper said: "The firm has been operating in a very difficult trading environment, resulting in the loss of a number of key contracts.

"The business, for example, provided rail replacement services for a number of train operating companies. In recent times much of this work has been taken in-house.

"It has not been possible for the business to continue trading and as a result we have regrettably had to make the majority of the workforce redundant. A small skeleton staff will remain in place to assist administrators."

HAVE you booked holidays through Fraser Eagle? Did you work for the company or for suppliers who worked with the firm? Get in touch with us - telephone 01254 871444.