Hundreds of quarry jobs 'at risk'

Companies say the Executive needs to kick start the construction industry

Quarry businesses could shed up to 700 jobs in NI this year because of the economic downturn, it has been claimed.

The Quarry Products Association, whose members supply materials to builders, said 300 jobs had gone since the beginning of the year.

Its regional director Gordon Best said it was the worst situation faced by the industry in over 25 years.

"With no end in sight to the credit crunch and high energy costs, the short to medium future looks grim," he said.

"The stark reality is that in a core, capital intensive industry like ours where you have a rapidly declining customer base and sales, together with rapidly increasing raw material and energy costs, then jobs go and companies go out of business.

"In the past nine months, the industry has experienced a drop in business of over 30% together with an increase in production energy costs of 86% with transport costs increasing by 46%."

Mr Best called on the executive to consider "fast tracking" a number of the major infrastructure projects within the Northern Ireland Investment Strategy.

He also urged politicians to work with banks to protect companies from insolvency.