Uponor (Vantaa / Finland; www.uponor.com) has said that it plans to eliminate around 80 jobs from its Ochtrup / Germany-based facilities as part of its company-wide cost reduction programme announced in August 2008 – see Plasteurope.com of 14.08.2008. Early retirement, discontinuation of fixed-term contracts and other similar measures will account for 20 of the positions to be lost. The company said that it has initiated negotiations with German employee representatives to align expenses to the low levels of activity in the building and construction industry in Europe.

Uponor estimated in August that its cost reduction programme would result in the loss of more than 200 jobs. The company said that since the announcement of programme, market developments have taken a turn for the worse. In addition to the job cuts at Ochtrup, the company has closed its Swedish metal fittings production in Kungsör and moved production to its existing plant in Hassfurt / Germany, affecting 75 jobs. It has also closed a manufacturing facility in Saint John, New Brunswick / Canada that employed 80 workers.

Uponor has now initiated consultations with its staff in Spain with the aim of cutting personnel from various functions.