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Haulage jobs cut as Welsh aluminium plant closes

15th October 2009
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Page 12, 15th October 2009 — Haulage jobs cut as Welsh aluminium plant closes
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By David Harri HAULAGE JOBS have already been lost after smelting came to an end at an aluminium plant in Wales. There is now a warning that more redundancies could follow.

Anglesey Aluminium, which was the largest employer in North Wales, has cut nearly 400 jobs. It closed a large part of its operations at the end of September.

Subcontractors such as haulier LE Jones, which is based in Ruth i n, have also suffered. The company, which has 50 staff, carried at least 15 loads a day from the plant.

It has been forced to re-tender for the much smaller amount of remaining work. Transport manager Richard Nugent reveals that two night drivers have already been laid off, and that more drivers "might well have to go" in future. "They were our biggest client," he continues.

Nugent estimates that at one point, Anglesey Aluminium provided 60% to 70% of LE Jones' work, and although this had already fallen to 40%, the closure of the main part of its operation is still a significant blow.

The plant, owned jointly by Rio Tinto and Kaiser Aluminium, was closed after it failed to secure a discounted energy deal.

The plant, on the outskirts of Holyhead, used a huge amount of energy, consuming 12% of the electricity used in Wales.

The UK government offered a £48m rescue package over four years, but the plant's owners turned this down, saying it would still not N. give them enough to break even. RENAULT TRUCKS inaugurated a new dealership in Nuneaton and its new HQ in Dunstable last week, representing a total investment of £9m.

Costing £4m, Renault Trucks Coventry opened on a 2.5-acre, former Lynx Distribution site on the Bermuda Industrial Estate in Nuneaton. The facility will sell the full Renault Trucks range of new and used vehicles. It has a four-bay workshop, complete with two full

length inspection pits (offering repairs and servicing for all makes), and a workshop bay for LCV servicing and maintenance.

The site is also a licensed tachograph centre.

Distributor principal is Chris Hammond, who will retain the same role at Renault Trucks Midlands in Tipton.

Sales and aftermarket functions will be managed in a similar way by existing senior staff at Tipton.

Hammond says: "The volume of commercial vchicles running from and through [Nuneaton] has grown significantly."

Meanwhile, Renault Trucks' HQ in Dunstable was inaugurated at the same time. Renault Trucks UK, Renault Trucks Commercials and BRS are all located in the HQ, which cost £5m to refit.

Renault Trucks UK MD Laurent Farman says: "Renault Trucks is committed to the UK market and we are here to stay."