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Economic Development

Up to 143 jobs axed as Sandvik closes Midland plant

Engineering giant Sandvik Machining Solutions plans to shut its Featherstone plant and move production out of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ

Manufacturing in the West Midlands has suffered a blow with Sandvik Machining Solutions closing a plant

Up to 143 jobs are to be axed after a machine manufacturer revealed it was closing a plant near Wolverhampton.

Engineering giant Sandvik Machining Solutions plans to shut its Featherstone plant and move production out of the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ.

A spokesman for the company said it had “excess manufacturing capacity in Europe”.

The Featherstone plant is expected to close at the end of the year.

The spokesman said: “The reason is due to excess manufacturing capacity in Europe. To remain competitive the company needs to reduce production costs by concentrating production in fewer plants. The Featherstone unit carries the smallest volume of any of the company’s European plants and volumes for this type of product are not growing in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ.

“The decision is in line with the wider Sandvik Machining Solutions restructuring program announced on December 17, 2013, to ensure long-term competitiveness.

Swedish parent company Sandvik has other production bases in Coventry, Halesowen and Stoke-on-Trent, and said they were unaffected.

The company makes metal-cutting tools for engineering, aerospace and car firms, which it said were “not growing in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ”.