Kingspan shuts south Wales factory making 59 redundant

Ireland-based materials firm Kingspan is to close its factory in south Wales with the loss of 59 jobs.

Kingspan has blamed the shut down of its Tredegar plant in Blaenau Gwent - which makes timber-framed homes - on a slow down in the housebuilding market. It will now move its production to three plants in England.

However, it is understood that the firm is now entering a 30-day consultation process with the affected staff to see if they can be redeployed to a different plant.

A Kingspan spokeswoman said: “Kingspan Off-Site, one of the UK’s leading timber frame manufacturers, whose operations include a production facility in Tredegar, has announced the closure of the Tredegar plant.

"The move comes in response to the current slowdown in the UK housebuilding market, which has led the company to consolidate its operations at its three other sites, in Milton Keynes, Dewsbury and Gransden.”