MP calls for action to help redundant staff - The Worcester Observer

MP calls for action to help redundant staff

Worcester Editorial 28th Apr, 2016 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

WORCESTER’S MP Robin Walker has urged administrators to do everything they can to aid employees of a stricken city engineering firm.

As the Observer reported last week, Froude Hofmann has entered administration with 80 employees made redundant.

The engineering firm has its headquarters on the Blackpole Trading Estate and has been based in Worcester for over a century.

Mr Walker said he was determined ‘everything that can be done is done’ to help laid off staff find new jobs in the city.




“I was deeply saddened by the shocking news that Froude Hofmann, a name that has been trading in Worcester for over a century, is bringing in administrators and that many of the highly trained workers of that business have already been laid off,” Mr Walker said.

“I am disappointed the business has not been in touch with local politicians earlier about the challenges they were facing and we have been presented with a fait accompli rather than a chance to help,” he added.


Despite this, Mr Walker said he wanted to do everything possible to aid former employees to ‘ensure the skills and talents of its workforce are given the best chance to keep on contributing to Worcestershire’s economy’.

“If there is any way of finding the business a buyer or getting it back up and running then it should be explored,” he said.

“I am glad to hear a number of local engineering companies have already been in touch with the Job Centre in Worcester to express an interest in workers from Froude Hofmann.

“I will be getting together with local business groups including the LEP and the Chamber as well as local councils to ensure swift action is taken to coordinate the best possible response.”

Andy Turpin and Matt Hardy, from Birmingham-based financial services firm Poppleton & Appleby, have been appointed joint administrators in a bid to find a buyer for all or part of the company.

Mr Turpin said: “We are extending all our efforts to try to find a purchaser for the company and we have had interest locally, nationally and globally.

“We are vigorously pursuing those possibilities. But such is the position of the company that we have had no choice but to make around 80 workers redundant.

“We are liaising with the Department of Work and Pensions and have met with MP Robin Walker to do everything we can to help the staff find new work,” he added.

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