West Dublin was hit with a new jobs blow today as CD and DVD manufacturer Zomax/MPO announced it was to close its Blanchardstown facility, with the loss of 98 jobs.
The company, which has another facility in Santry, is blaming competition from lower cost economies for the cutbacks. Last month, it put 100 staff at the Santry facility on protective notice, after it failed to secure the renewal of a major contract.
"The decision to close the plant has been a difficult but absolutely necessary one to make," Zomax/MPO managing director Paddy Burke commented.
"The industry sector in which we operate has been in decline in this country in recent years as competition from lower cost Asian and Eastern Europe operators intensifies. It is indicative of the global competitive landscape in which Irish based manufacturing must now attempt to operate. Currently, Blanchardstown has no new customer orders and none in prospect. The business therefore has become unsustainable."
Mr Burke said trhe company had delayed the decision for as long as it could to see if alternative business could be secured for the facility. It said that in the absence of new business, it would be "irresponsible" to continue.
Local Sinn Féin councillor Felix Gallagher criticised the company for the manner in which he said it broke the news. "I think it is an absolute disgrace the contemptuous manner in which management broke the news of the job losses to its staff this morning without any warning or notice," he said.
"I am calling on the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment Micheál Martin to give special consideration to deploying future investment into Dublin West in the coming period in light of a recent spate of job loss announcements."
However, the firm denied that staf had no warning of the impending redundancies. "We have made strenuous efforts to keep the business running and we have kept our staff informed of the difficulties facing us for some time," said Mr Burke.
The Santry business remains unaffected by the announcement.
