SRAM Ireland Closing

CARRICK, Eire (Feb 1) - SRAM has announced it will be winding down operations at its facility in Ireland in the coming weeks and months. 53 jobs are being lost with the closure of the factory in South Tipperary. According to local newspapers SRAM Ireland said 31 permanent and 22 temporary workers would be laid off in the next nine months as part of the closure of its assembly and distribution centre in Carrick-on-Suir. It blames competitive pressures from the Far East for the closure. The company has been in the town for 11 years. According to SRAM Europe managing director Martin van Beek the actual manufacturing of SRAM components in Ireland will stop July 2006. MRX shifters are made there as well as production and assembly of shifters and click boxes for the SRAM hub gears. “A big part of this production will be switched to our China facility in Shunde. Smaller quantities will also be available from ‘Schweinfurt’ which means that from mid 2006 our European customers will be delivered from one address as our German facility is also taking over the distribution functions from Ireland.” On the reasons for the closing down of SRAM Ireland, Van Beek said: “Production in Ireland is from an economical point of view becoming increasingly difficult which also has to do with the fact that more and more components are made in Asia.” (JO)