Site is still profitable but management’s attitude is ‘to hell with the small group of staff’ who operate it

Closure comes as Kingspan proceeds with euro 255 purchase of a leading insulation company in Denmark

Springvale EPS Ltd, a subsection of the hugely successful Kingspan group, has announced the closure of its plant outside of Ballyclare in Co. Antrim with the loss of 23 jobs. Consultation had been ongoing with Unite the Union as the union attempted to save jobs at the expanded polystyrene manufacturer

Unite Regional Officer, Kevin McAdam challenged the company and the wider group on their decision which will throw almost two dozen workers into unemployment in the middle of a global pandemic.

“Consultations between Unite and management have reached the end without any movement from the company. It would now appear that closure in the coming few months is imminent. We have tried to persuade the company to continue with the County Antrim plant but it appears they are keener to concentrate their business on their plant in Askeaton in County Limerick.”

“All of this comes at the same time that parent company Kingspan announced the purchase of a leading insulation company in Denmark for Euro 255 million last week. The decision to close the Ballyclare site is driven by the desire to maximise profits over the livelihoods of workers who have helped build the company’s success.

“Our members are left baffled by the fact this company is still making money for the group yet they are closing it. it just feels like it’s a simple case that bosses can make more elsewhere and their attitude is to hell with the small group of workers –staff and management  in this plant”, Kevin McAdam concluded.