More than 200 manufacturing jobs are at risk in Motherwell after two neighbouring factories on the same industrial estate announced plans to close. Resideo has confirmed it will shut its plant at Newhouse Industrial Estate, putting 116 jobs at risk, while Honeywell has told staff it proposes to close its site next door, affecting a further 91 roles.

The two announcements, made on 20 October, have put 207 North Lanarkshire jobs in jeopardy and drawn in the Scottish Government, the local MP and Unite, which is fighting to keep the work in Scotland.

Resideo move decided after consultation

Resideo, which makes heating and air-conditioning thermostats, heating controls, timers and plumbing parts for boilers and heat pumps, has told staff it will move manufacturing from Newhouse to two of its existing factories in Europe, at Brno in the Czech Republic and Nagykanizsa in Hungary. The company said the decision followed a consultation process and that it must adapt to remain competitive.

A Resideo spokesperson said: “Every business has to continue to adapt to remain competitive. Following a consultation process, we are moving our manufacturing operations from Newhouse to two of our other factories in Europe – Brno, Czech Republic, and Nagykanizsa, Hungary. Our continued focus is on supporting impacted colleagues, and starting the work needed to deliver the change.”

Unlike its neighbour, Resideo has already made its decision. Unite industrial officer Sam Ritchie said the company’s consultation period had closed and it was working towards a date for the move, adding that the machinery was not expected to start moving until around February. No date has been given for when production at Newhouse will stop.

Honeywell consultation now under way

The situation at Honeywell, which builds electronic hardware, is at an earlier stage. The company told its Newhouse workforce on 20 October that it proposes to close the site and move most of the work to Poole in England, although the union understands some work could also be transferred overseas. Its formal consultation with the 91 staff concerned began on 5 November and is now under way.

Donna Tennant, who has worked at the Honeywell site for around 20 years, said staff had been told of the proposal on the Tuesday morning and now faced a consultation period with the unions and the workforce. She stressed the plans were still at the proposal stage and workers were determined to explore alternatives that could keep employment in the local area.

Unite has said there is no reason for the site to close and has vowed to fight to retain the jobs throughout the consultation. The union has not given up hope of retaining all of the jobs at the site, according to Ms Ritchie.

Union and ministers demand action

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described the decisions as unforgivable and called on the government to intervene. “Scotland can’t continue to haemorrhage manufacturing jobs. It’s simply unsustainable,” she said. “The decision by both Resideo and Honeywell to close the joint site, and to transfer the work out of Scotland is unforgivable. Government needs to intervene and ministers must protect jobs and communities. They need to act now.”

Scotland’s Economy Secretary, Stephen Flynn, said he was deeply concerned by the potential closures and would explore all options to retain the jobs at both companies. He has spoken to Unite and said he intends to write directly to both companies, while the Scottish Government’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative stands ready to provide skills and employability support if needed.

Kenneth Stevenson, the Labour MP for Airdrie and Shotts, has also spoken out. He said he was deeply disappointed by the news and that his thoughts were with all of the employees affected, particularly ahead of Christmas, adding that he knew first-hand how distressing a plant closure could be after going through a similar situation in the 1990s. Unite is planning to meet Mr Stevenson as it seeks political support for its campaign to protect the Motherwell jobs.

What happens next

The two closures are at different stages. Resideo’s decision is made and its move to the Czech Republic and Hungary is being prepared, while Honeywell’s proposal is still open to challenge through the consultation that began on 5 November. The outcome of that consultation will decide whether the 91 Honeywell roles follow the 116 Resideo jobs out of the town.

For workers at Newhouse, an estate that has supplied manufacturing jobs for decades, the coming weeks will decide whether a campaign backed by the union, the Scottish Government and the local MP can keep any of the 207 jobs in Motherwell. Readers can follow the latest on the closures in the Glasgow Times report on the Resideo closure and its account of the Honeywell workers’ fight to save their jobs.