23.05.2006

Certex to close Cornish depots

Certex will close two lifting centres in Redruth and Plymouth, while maintaining divisions at Bristol, Cardiff, Gloucester and Southampton.

The changes, scheduled to take effect over the next six months, are in response to a shift in demand from sales and rental of products to the regions mining and fishing industries, towards more field-based services, thus reducing the need for local depots.

The company will maintain its team of mobile Inspection, test and maintenance engineers who will benefit from access to products from regional and centrally held stocks.

There are no redundancies planned as a result of the closures, as the majority of members of staff are already field-based. Other personnel have all been offered continued employment within the company.

Tony Stringer, Certex’s managing director, said: “Certex has always believed in maintaining a strong local presence across the UK through its regional centres but we had reached a point where maintaining large levels of stocks in these two areas was no longer required or viable. The vast majority of our business around Plymouth and Redruth is now field-based, which will be largely unaffected by the changes.

“As a business, we must respond to local market forces and reflect the changing expectations and requirements of our customers,” he added.

Following the closures, all sales enquiries for the area will be handled by Certex’s Southampton branch, Tel; 023 8070 3894, email: [email protected]