A Fife components manufacturer is warning that up to 90 jobs are at risk because of the potential closure of the Alexander Dennis bus factory at Falkirk.
Around half the employees at Greenfold Systems, an outsource manufacturing specialist in Dunfermline, work on constructing parts for Alexander Dennis whose owner NFI Group wants to consolidate operations in Scarborough.
On Thursday, Paul Davies, one of the executives at Alexander Dennis, told MSPs the closure of the Falkirk operation is “not a done deal”.
However, he said orders for up to 100 buses and changes to regulation are needed before the end of the year. Should the plant close it would see 400 jobs lost.
Graeme Downie, Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar has written to First Minister John Swinney about the threat to jobs at Greenfold as a consequence of the Alexander Dennis situation.
Critics have accused the Scottish government of exacerbating the crisis by ordering buses from overseas manufacturers.
Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Jamie Greene said: “The SNP’s failure to support bus building and buying in Scotland is inflicting a chain reaction of misery for workers and local communities across the country.
“If the SNP government are serious about delivering for our economy, they should be sitting down with the firm to thrash out a solution and finally get behind Scottish manufacturing.”
Richard Lochhead, Minister for Business and Employment, said: “I am very disappointed to learn that Greenfold Systems has entered into consultation with a view to making redundancies at its Dunfermline site.
“This will be a difficult time for the employees at risk of losing their jobs, their families and for the local area.
“Scottish Enterprise will engage with the company to better understand the reasons for this decision and whether it can offer any assistance.
“The people affected by this announcement are our immediate priority and the Scottish Government will do everything in its power to help those affected through our initiative for responding to potential redundancy situations, Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.”
Greenfold Systems has not commented.
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