By Laura Hammond
editor@belpernews.co.uk
STAFF at Denby Pottery breathed a sigh of relief this week when they were told that all aspects of production at the firm were to stay in the UK.
Fears that some manufacturing processes run by the com
pany could be moving overseas were eased in a meeting between staff and bosses at the historic firm early last week.
Managing director Garry Biggs told workers that the decision to remain based in this country had been made following a feasibility study.
He added: "Following an initial feasibility study looking into the possibility of transferring some of the Denby manufacturing processes overseas, the management board have decided to retain all manufacturing processes for Denby stoneware production in the UK for the foreseeable future."
The firm has not confirmed whether or not it will reconsider moving some of its manufacturing processes out of the country in the future.
The idea of moving some of the work from the 200-year-old pottery firm abroad was first reported in March last year, when it was announced in a meeting with staff.
At the time, Mr Biggs said the company was considering options which would help it survive and build during the economic recession.
China was discussed as a possible location for the outsourced work.
The idea devastated staff, who had recently seen almost 50 of their colleagues lose their jobs in sweeping cuts around the company.
Workers who had been made redundant fought a long battle with the company to receive the redundancy pay they were entitled to.
The group planned a protest in a bid to get the company to pay up, but it was called off. Eventually ceramics union Unity took Denby to court and won.
The announcement to keep work in the UK is another sign of the recovery of the firm, which faced troubled times during the height of the recession, when it not only cut staff, but went into administration.
A company called Denby Pottery Ltd was formed to buy out the iconic firm.
jobs safe: Denby Pottery is no longer moving production abroad.
