Remploy Aberdare to remain open

Posted on November 12th, 2007 filed in People

Good News today for Aberdare people… Remploy announced today that the Cwmbach Remploy site will remain open.

Remploy is the UK’s leading provider of employment services for disabled people. Today it published details of revised proposals for modernisation of the company. Following lengthy consultations with trade unions, the company is proposing to retain operations at the Cwmbach site.

Remploy was opened in Aberdare in 1973 and is part of the company’s healthcare business and manufactures orthotic products, mainly bespoke footwear. It now employs 68 people of whom 64 are disabled. The company is planning to keep the site open in order to develop a plan to support potential increases in business for orthotics arising from public procurement regulations.

Bob Warner, Remploy Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted that we are able to maintain production at Aberdare, but if we are to be successful, the factory will need to show satisfactory progress in moving toward an acceptable loss per disabled employee.

“The possible extra work has not yet been secured and so a voluntary redundancy programme is to be introduced to reduce the factory’s costs.”

Remploy’s revised modernisation proposals have been submitted for approval to Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.

Mr Warner added: “The plans which we have submitted meet the goals set by the Government for us to support many more disabled people into jobs in mainstream employment, avoid compulsory redundancy of disabled employees, and remain within a £555m spending limit over five years.”

By 2012, Remploy will each year be finding more than 20,000 jobs for disabled people in mainstream employment in the UK. Last year Remploy found more than 700 jobs for disabled people in mainstream employment in Wales.