1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148 
Hard choices for trailer makers as demand falls
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
CM EXCLUSIVE By Chris Tindall and David Harris UK TRAILER manufacturers are facing up to an uncertain future as the recession continues to bite.
Peterborough-based trailermaker Lawrence David says it cannot rule out introducing a four-day working week for staff as demand has dropped off.
Director Alan Jeffs tells CM that the option to cut staff working time by 20% has already been discussed, along with other possibilities to address the fall in workload.
Jeffs says the firm used to rely on flexible agency employment as demand changed, but the downturn in the economy means drastic decisions may need to be taken.
He says: "It's something we have considered, as have a lot of people. In the current climate we are all aware that times are difficult. Demands is a lot less than it was six months ago. We needed to do plans for the workload and the implications on the workforce."
Meanwhile. Northern Irelandbased SDC reveals it has cut its workforce by 30%, with nearly 50 redundancies. From its plants in Toomebridge, Co Antrim and Mansfield. Notts, the company can produce 126 trailers a week at full capacity, but this month it is actually making closer to 60. At Mansfield, where the firm has the capacity to make 40 curtainsiders, six boxvans and five tippers a week, it is now making 30, three and two respectively.
At Don-Bur,marketing manager Richard Owens says: "We have a very strong order book; although we have noticed a decline in new enquiries, we have enough work to keep us going for a long time to come."
• Go to page 16 for the first of our 'trailer blazers' series, where we talk to Krone MD Bernard Krone.