More jobs go at Cement Works

ELEVEN more jobs are set to go at a cement works.

Cemex has announced that there will be more redundancies in its logistics section, based at the Barrington cement works.

Manufacturing of cement at the Barrington plant ceased at the end of last year, with over 80 workers losing jobs.

Since then, the site has been used as a depot for deliveries to the firms customer across the East of England. However, this will stop at the end of July, with up to 11 drivers being made redundant.

One of the drivers affected, Kirk Jarman, 34, of Melbourn, said: "It came as total shock to me, after the first lot of redundancies I thought I was safe.

"I honestly thought I might be working at Barrington until I retire - it was a great place to work and I don't know what I'm going to do now," he said.

A spokesman for Cemex said that half of the employees affected may be given the opportunity to relocate to another cement plan, in Rugby.

However, Mr Jarman said: "That would be practically impossible for me with all the travelling that would be involved.

"Jobs are so hard to come by at the moment, I know a few of the people made redundant at Barrington in January still haven't found work."

A spokesman for Cemex said: "It was with considerable regret we stopped clinker manufacturing at Barrington cement plant last November.

"The site has since then been used as a depot, to service customers in East Anglia. This has involved a small number of daily vehicle movements to and from the plant.

"We are looking to stop even this reduced level of activity at Barrington, and to transfer this handling to our cement plant in Rugby, where it can be managed more cost effectively.

"We have entered into consultation with employees about this proposal, and estimate that consultation will be completed by the end of July," she said.