I've been left with nothing

Trade and Industry minister Patricia Hewitt has told Shipley MP Chris Leslie that the Employment Agency team will help find new jobs for the 470 employees affected by the company's decision to close its manufacturing plant in Saltaire.

They will be joined by representatives from Pace and Bradford Council to help the workers, who will be out of work by August 17 as the plant shuts at the end of that month.

The closure marks the end of Pace's manufacturing in the UK and will see all the work carried out by sub-contractors overseas.

Workers today told of their shock at the announcement, which was received without warning.

Christopher Tansley, 45, of Idle, said: "I've been there six months soldering on a line making digital boxes - I had been hoping to get a full-time job but now I'm left with nothing.

"I've got two young children, a mortgage and my wife only works part-time so I just don't know what we're going to do.

"I'm still trying to come to terms with it, and although I'm praying a miracle's going to happen and something will be worked out that doesn't look likely." Mr Tansley, pictured with his family, from the left Hannah, Claudia and Daniel, said:""When they told us everyone was just dumbstruck and it was dead quiet, but when we walked out you could see everyone was absolutely devastated - one fellow was virtually in tears.''

Mr Leslie said he had asked for a meeting with Pace chief executive Malcolm Miller in an effort to dig out any alternatives to the job losses.

He said: "I have spoken to Patricia Hewitt and asked to meet the chief executive as soon as possible in order to go through with him what might be the scope for alternative options, such as voluntary redundancies rather than compulsory ones.

"The rapid response team from the Employment Service will going in to see whether they can help."

He added: "Most of the jobs are, at least, staying in terms of the research end of the work."

Andrew Wallace, Pace's marketing manager, said the company was still investing in the region. He said: "We are increasing the number of software engineers in Saltaire by 80 over the next 12 months and in the last year we have increased the total number of non-manufacturing employees by 110 to 670."

Councillor Simon Cooke, Bradford Council executive member for the economy, said the Council would be doing all it could to match the workers with new jobs, but admitted the closure of the plant could hamper ambitious plans to bring hi-tech firms into the Aire Valley.

He said: "I am extremely concerned about the signal this sends out about the future of manufacturing, not just in Bradford but also in the UK.

"We are doing all we can and I don't criticise Pace because they have to that keep the business competitive.

"But I am extremely concerned that at the moment it could be that other companies are not going to be coming to Bradford."

He added the Council was powerless to influence global market pressures: "Bradford Council will do what it can to secure jobs in the district and entice companies to set up.

"But as long as people are saying we cannot afford to set up in this country, we are fighting a losing battle."

A more reassuring message was given out by another major hi-tech company, Filtronic, which said it was not affected by pressures to reduce costs to the same extent as Pace.

Finance director John Samuel said: "Our products are very customised, whereas Paces are essentially consumer.

"We have plants around the world, but the driving factor behind them is to be able to manufacture close to our customers. It is not done because it is cheaper."

Analyst Rupert Fenton at Bradford stockbrokers Hill, Osborne and Co, said Pace was simply repeating the process carried out by firms around the world.

He said: "If this is due to natural progression then it is not particularly significant.

"Certainly it is not good news for the employees, but the same thing is happening everywhere."