Leicestershire packaging plant fate announced
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A Leicestershire packaging plant has been spared from DS Smith closure plans affecting hundreds of jobs across the UK. The Hinckley heavy duty packaging plant, which employs more than 150
people locally, will not be affected by proposals to close five sites and cut 300 jobs nationwide. US packaging maker International Paper yesterday (Friday, May 23) announced plans to close
five sites in the UK, putting about 300 jobs at risk nationwide. The company said it needed to become more efficient and respond to changing customer needs amid "tough trading
conditions for the industry". The firm however told LeicestershireLive that Hinckley operations would carry on as usual. A DS Smith spokesman said: "I can confirm that Hinckley is
not part of the proposals that were announced [yesterday]." No redundancies are planned at the Leicestershire site, the company added. READ MORE: Almost 100 academic staff jobs at risk
at De Montfort University amid redundancy threat The closures affect Newcastle, Plymouth, Sheerness, Wellingborough sites, with Milton Keynes relocating and redundancies at other locations,
LeicestershireLive understands. The GMB union has described the closures as "brutal", with the changes set to come into effect by the end of the year. Matt Roberts, GMB national
officer, said: "The loyal DS Smith workforce were reassured throughout the takeover that it would be a positive step. But brutal closures of multiple sites and savage job cuts at others
so soon into the new ownership are way beyond their worst fears." He added: "This cruel move is a huge shock for these workers, their families and their communities - not to
mention a disaster for this strategically important industry." The Memphis-based company bought UK-based rival DS Smith in a deal worth £5.8 billion at the beginning of the year,
creating one of the world's largest packaging manufacturers. DO YOU WORK AT THE PLANT? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH BY EMAIL: [email protected] WE ARE NOW
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