Nearly 100 jobs are to be lost in Northern Ireland through cut backs by carpet company Interface Europe, it announced today.
At the same time the firm said it had put its broadloom operation, which employs 280 in Brighouse, Yorkshire, up for sale and was "consolidating" its sales and administration staff at Shelf, near Halifax.
When all the measures have been introduced, Interface Europe's workforce in Britain and Northern Ireland will be reduced to less than 500, compared to a high of 1,200 in 1998.
The company today began consultation with employees in Lurgan, Co Armagh, about 45 redundancies at its carpet tile manufacturing facility.
They said a further 50 jobs would go in about six months with the relocation of its carpet backing process in the town to sites in England and Holland.
Tufted carpet production in Lurgan, in which the company is currently investing £500,000, will continue with a workforce of around 70.
The announcement followed a review by Interface Europe of the state and likely duration of the downturn in the market.
Since July they had experienced a substantial drop in orders in common with most companies in the sector, they said.
A company spokesman said: "We greatly regret having to make today's announcement. However we must recognise the impact of this recession on our market place and on our business."
He said they had been forced to cut costs and capacity across the group at all levels, in the USA, throughout continental Europe and Britain, "in order to position our business to match current and anticipated demand".
PA