Waterford Wedgwood To Cut 367 Jobs

Deloitte, the receivers of Irish luxury tableware maker Waterford Wedgwood said that the company would cut 367 jobs at two UK subsidiaries under its administration.

Josiah Wedgwood & Sons Ltd and Royal Doulton UK Ltd will make 245 people redundant in manufacturing and operations, 106 from administration and back office functions and 16 at visitor centres and stores, Deloitte said. The majority of the cuts, made out of a total 1,868 jobs across the group’s UK operations, will be at its Barlaston plant north of Birmingham, it said.

“The business will be continuing to trade as normal, and the administrators are continuing discussions with parties who have expressed an interest in purchasing the business,” Joint Administrator Angus Martin said in a statement.

Waterford Wedgwood, the makers of Waterford crystal in Ireland, a week ago called in receivers and placed two of Britain’s most venerable china makers into administration after failing to buy more time from lenders.

Deloitte said later last week that U.S. private equity group KPS Capital Partners had agreed to buy some Waterford Wedgwood assets.

Source: Thomson Merger News