It is reported that the credit crunch is forcing Conder Structures to axe more staff at its Burton plant. As per report, Conder will make at least 50 workers redundant as the recession continues to bite.

Although the company has refused to be drawn on the number of staff involved, it confirmed the lay offs when the Mail approached the firm after being tipped off.

A friend of a worker likely to be made redundant said that "There are at least 50 workers getting laid off at Conder. They all received letters on July 3rd 2009. I know a few people who work for the company, they aren’t happy and it’s just not fair. The workers must now appeal against redundancy."

Mr Jason Hensman MD of Conder said that "We are in a 30 day consultation period at the moment. The market is very depressed and demand has been reduced significantly since the beginning of the year. We are remaining in control of the business and are pro actively managing through the recession. I cannot confirm the number of staff so far because it is subject to change. It is the second lay off we have had, the last being October."

The latest round of job losses at Conder comes 9 months after it laid off 60 members of staff as part of a company restructure. The firm had to axe staff in October 2008 due to declining orders and changing customer demands.

Subject to a fall in demand, Conder had also suffered a dramatic slump in selling prices, despite facing speedy rises in the prices of its products and materials. In May 2009, the firm celebrated the success of gaining a contract to supply and erect 1,400 tonnes of steelwork in Farnborough town centre, based in Hampshire, after being awarded the contract by ROK Limited.

(Sourced from www.burtonmail.co.uk)