Rylaux sells Ensor Mill - 150 jobs to go

In the third major employment blow to the Borough in the past few weeks Ryalux has announced it is to close its Queensway operation, the parent company Sirdar having sold Ensor Mill for £3M to Yorkshire based property and investment company Stirling.

Kevin Henry, managing director of Ryalux, said: "The sale of the site is part of a streamlining of the company, with the business operating from fewer sites in the future.

"All 150 staff at the Rochdale factory are being given the opportunity to relocate to either of our two sites in Bury or Wakefield. In the past 12 months we have already re-located up to 40 staff. There are no unions involved, but consultations and discussions are being held with staff."

Ryalux was sold to Wakefield-based Sirdar PLC in 2000 for £25M. Ryalux then employed 340 staff at six sites in the North of England, with its head office at Queensway.

Its executive chairman, William Lomas, who set up the company in 1970, said the deal would provide extra job security in the future.

Date article online: 13/07/2007