Confusion over the future of NEC plant

Published on Tuesday 28 May 2002 01:00

MORE than 400 Scottish jobs are under threat amid confusion over the future of an NEC computer assembly plant.

The electronics giant denied earlier reports it was to close its factory in Livingston, West Lothian, and switch production to China, where costs are cheaper.

But an NEC spokesman yesterday admitted the production of laptop computers would be switched to the Far East. It is thought this would see 160 jobs lost.

The future of the remaining 305 employees is less certain. The spokesman said NEC still needed to produce desktop PCs in Scotland, but added the firm was considering selling the plant and its staff to a sub-contractor.

Local economic leaders have expressed anger over NEC’s handling of the news which apparently left the enterprise minister, Iain Gray, in the dark.

Councillor Willie Dunn, West Lothian Council’s economic development spokesman, said: "We need a specific task force set up for West Lothian, chaired by the minister or a senior civil servant.

"We need to look in depth at our economy in West Lothian and see how we can help it recover.

"The news seemed to leak out in Japan at the weekend, but neither the Scottish Executive nor the local authority knew anything about it."

The news is a further blow after NEC shed 1,500 jobs last year with the closure of its semiconductor plant in Livingston, as well as 3,000 job losses with the closure of the Motorola factory in Bathgate.

NEC said it was now "assessing the viability" of keeping production at its plant in Kirkton, Livingston.

The Scottish Executive said it was in close discussions with the company about the maintenance of production operations.