08/06/2009

Kerry Car Workers Called To Crucial Meeting

German car components maker, Beru, have called its workers to a meeting in the Tralee plant this afternoon.

The company employs 202 people and has been in the Co Kerry town for over 20 years.

The German based company makes blow plugs for leading car manufacturers including Saab, Hummer and Mercedes-Benz.

Publishing its first quarter financial results last week, the company blamed the continuing global crash for its losses.

A spokesman for the company said: "Due to the worldwide slump of automotive markets, the BERU Group, posted a 38.4% decline in first-quarter revenue to €76.3 million"

The was a major slump as the company's revenue for the same period last year was almost double the current figure standing at 123.9 million. Earnings from interest and taxes also decreased by 72.8% from EUR 15.6 million to EUR 4.2 million.

Last April, it announced it was seeking 20 voluntary redundancies at the plant because of what it said was the continuing deteriorating economic conditions in the global car industry.

Workers have been on a three-day week since last year, while just two months ago German thread manufacturers, Amann Industries, closed its plant in Tralee with the loss of 210 jobs.

(DW/JM)

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