'Falling profits' firm axes 50 jobs

The jobs will go in January

About 50 people are to lose their jobs at a stationery firm on the Worcestershire-West Midlands border.

Helix is blaming a combination of cheaper imports and falling profits for the redundancies at its plastic manufacturing plant on Engine Lane in Lye near Stourbridge.

The firm said it would shed the equivalent of 47 full time positions by the end of January.

Helix is inviting workers, full and part-time, to volunteer for redundancy.

The company makes rulers, protractors, erasers, pencil cases and drawing equipment.

Helix has said it will rely more on imports from the Far East.