Hanson restructure means job losses and plant closures

Building materials producer Hanson has confirmed it is to cut 250 jobs as part of a major restructuring.

Hanson UK CEO Patrick O’Shea confirmed the cuts to staff yesterday.

He said: “I am today announcing a series of proposals designed to strengthen the business, protect our long-term future and ensure we are better equipped to meet the challenges which lie ahead.”

All divisions are affected.

Cement: Falkirk packed products depot to close with production cut-backs at Bulls Lodge; closure of the dry silo mortar business and transfer of the packed distribution function to cement division at Ketton.

Building products: Closure of Accrington brick works and capacity reductions at Wilnecote; transfer of the brick and block distribution function to cement division at Ketton; staff reductions in support services.

Concrete: Closure of Perth, Minffordd, Blackpool, Stockport, Llantrisant and Tytherington plants; consolidation of the area management structure by combining north east and north/north, south west and south Wales and east midlands and Suffolk.

Aggregates: Mothballing of Shardlow, Tytherington, and Sutton Courtenay quarries and closure of Hingston Down and South Molton concrete block works; production breaks during 2013 at a number of sites to match predicted demand; restructure of the operations and commercial management team under four area general managers.

Some corporate functions are also affected, namely the closure of the Clifford House office at Wetherby by the end of March and the consolidation of the customer service centre functions into Shepshed and Allington.

The senior management team has also been reshuffled with Phil Redmond taking over the aggregates division and Brian Charleton assuming responsibility for asphalt and contracting.