BAE Systems announce factory closures and job losses

The UK’s largest engineering company, BAE Systems, is to shut three factories in Telford, Leeds and Guildford by Christmas and is to axe 500 jobs.

The announcement is primarily due to the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq and the axe will be wielded in the combat vehicles and weapons division. Today’s announcement follows the 200 job losses confirmed in November.

The Unite union described the decision as disappointing.

The company has a global workforce of 105,000 with more than 30,000 based at 80 sites in the UK.

Commenting on the job cuts, the company said: “Our forecast UK order intake has reduced and we have to match the size of our business appropriately to the projected nature and volume of workload.”

The company said it will look to “minimise the impact of these changes on employees affected by this announcement through a range of measures, including transfer to other parts of the business and retraining where possible.

We will be offering all affected employees the opportunity of an out-placement service to help them find alternative employment,” said the statement.

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