A SILSDEN company has confirmed it is moving out of town to a new facility in Elland.
International belting manufacturer Habasit has been working for several months on the purpose-built fabrication and office centre.
Members of the workforce will move from Silsden and Halifax to Elland as the company seeks to build on its ongoing success.
In 2014 Habasit employed between 70 and 80 workers in Silsden, but it is unknown how many are affected by the upcoming move. The company plans to keep its existing production facility in Bingley.
Habasit (UK) Limited managing director Stewart Murdoch said the opening of the Elland facility demonstrated the company’s commitment to the UK market.
But Cllr Adrian Naylor, a Silsden and Bradford Councillor, described the move as a “very significant loss to Silsden”.
He said: “Habasit is a world-class producer of belts for the food industry. What we’re seeing are significantly well-paid jobs leaving Silsden.
“My concern is what replaces Habasit on the site, whether it’s employment rather than housing.”
Cllr Naylor said Bradford Council wanted to make an extra 35 hectares of land between Keighley and Silsden available for jobs.
But he warned: “The danger is that without the support of government and Bradford Council we will end up with more houses, but no jobs for the people buying them.”
Cllr Naylor spoke after Habasit last week put its Habegger House premises on Keighley Road, Silsden, on the market.
Mr Murdoch said Habasit had made a business decision to relocate from Silsden to Elland after a company-wide consultation process with the Works Council and multiple meetings with staff.
He said the company wanted to build upon the “future-orientated, long-term investments” already made in Bingley and its new growth-orientated Roadmap 2020 programme.
He said: “The development of the Elland facility is nearing completion and within the near future the company will be transferring all previously conducted Silsden based activities.
“By relocating former Silsden based activities and functions to within easy reach of the M62, we will be better geographically placed to serve our existing and target customers via reduced delivery times and 24/7 operations.
“We already have a strong presence in Yorkshire plus a market-leading UK network of Regional Service Centres and Network Partners.
“We develop products, produce and fabricate, sell and market, and service our customers from the UK and we wish to continue so doing over the long term.”
Habasit is a world leader in the belting industry, providing high-quality power transmission.
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