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Job losses inevitable as ERF doses \NU
Page 10
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EXCLUSIVE THE MAN-ERF Group's Vehicle Modification Unit at Middlewich in Cheshire is to close.
The unit is based in a side wing of what was originally the ERF factory. It has recently been used to carry out a variety of off-line modifications on new vehicles, such as Pet-Reg conversions.
But now group CEO Des Evans explains that due to a reduction in demand for specialist conversion work. the VMU is no longer sustainable. Another factor is the decision to handle MoD-related work at Marshall Specialist Vehicles in Cambridge.
The number and timing of the inevitable job losses is still under discussion,but the training,specialist vehicle design and national sales operations will not be affected.
Between 2001 and 2003 about 580 jobs were lost in a gradual reduction of operations at the Middlewich plant, which was built from scratch to replace the old ERF factory at Sandbach.
When Commercial Motor last visited the VMU in early 2003, it employed 55 of the 2(X) remaining staff on the site.