The ongoing consolidation at the European sites of advanced composites manufacturer Gurit (Wattwil / Switzerland; www.gurit.com) has impacted several of its Swiss production sites. The company is currently consulting with workers´ representatives on the effect on jobs, especially at its Zullwil facility. It said that several positions could be made redundant there, in production and other areas, and that some may find new jobs internally.

The powder impregnated thermoplastic tapes business based in Flurlingen and known as Gurit Suprem was sold to a group of Swiss investors on 15 March 2007 and will in future operate under the name Suprem AG. The Flurlingen site will cease to be a Gurit production unit.

Production of thermoplastic composites manufactured by a melt process will be transferred from Ittigen to Bern, focusing Gurit´s activities in this area on its "Plytron" branded products. Ittigen will continue to manufacture extruded thermoplastic products for winter sports and other markets.

The Zullwil prepreg tower, at 30 years the oldest in the group, is to be mothballed. Production will be transferred to other towers in Zullwil and Kassel / Germany, both of which are approved for aerospace applications.

Gurit says that the Zullwil facility will remain as an important production site, especially for aerospace, marine, sport and civil engineering applications including cyanate ester and epoxy prepregs as well as lightweight unidirectional carbon prepregs.

Gurit recently announced a change of focus at its Newport / UK site – see Plasteurope.com Web of 06.03.2007.