Hundreds of staff at Stoke-on-Trent pottery firm Steelite International will have their hours cut 'with immediate affect' following the coronavirus outbreak.
The decision comes as COVID-19 has resulted in falling global sales in the company's key hospitality sector.
Now Steelite, which specialises in the manufacture and supply of high-quality tableware to hotels, restaurants and cruise ships across the world, has introduced short-time working for hundreds of staff at its Middleport headquarters.
reports how hourly paid factory, packing and warehouse staff will have their working hours cut for up to six weeks until April 24.
Group HR director Louise Griffin said: "With immediate affect all our hourly paid factory, packing and warehouse personnel will be on short time working arrangements.
"This measure has been taken in order to allow the business time to review on going costs and efficiencies in light of incoming orders and COVID-19. In terms of COVID-19 the global hospitality industry is being hit with hotels, cruise ships, restaurants and general hospitality venues feeling the effects of lower footfall and significantly reduced bookings, resulting in a subsequent lack of business.
"Due to the volatile sales market in which we find ourselves and in order to sustain future growth for the business we need to ensure that we are structured to cope with this volatility.
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"The initial period is that STW will run from today until Friday, April 24. During the next 6 weeks initially, we will be reviewing costs throughout the business in order to strengthen the platforms for future growth."
The announcement follows a similar move by Staffordshire digger-maker JCB in February which saw thousands of staff revert to a 34-hour working week for three weeks.