Plaxton cutbacks
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• Britain's largest coachbuilder, Plaxtons at Scarborough, is to shed around 200 jobs owing to the low demand for new luxury coaches.
Although Plaxtons will not comment on the move, the drop in demand is attributed in part to the forthcoming privatisation of National Bus Company subsidiaries. It is also blamed on the incoming tourist business collapse following the threat of terrorism resulting from the US attack on Libya.
On the other side of the country, Hestair Duple is faring little better.
Managing director Richard Owen told CM that the current order level is adequate
to take the company through to the end of the current build season, but the prospects for future demand are worrying and Duple needs public sector orders.
He is also looking at the size of the labour force at Blackpool although the position is relative by the fact that Duple took on around 150 workers on short-term contracts specifically for the build season.
• Wadham Stringer (Coachbuilders) of Waterlooville, Hampshire, is expanding its production facilities to meet the demand for its Vanguard One and Two single-deck bus body range.
It has taken on 40 staff and the factory floor space of the recently closed Victory commercial vehicle body building operation at nearby Portsmouth.