Thai move leads to 46 job losses

Hoya said local production would remain for the "foreseeable future"

A Wrexham factory which makes lenses for glasses is to cut 46 jobs when part of its production moves to Thailand.

Hoya Lens UK Ltd has begun a 30-day consultation with its 417 staff through its works committee, and said it hoped some redundancies would be voluntary.

The Japanese firm, on Wrexham's industrial estate, makes ophthalmic lenses for opticians across Europe.

In 2003, more than 200 jobs were lost as a result of work being switched to the sister plant in Thailand.

The company said it was "continuing the rationalisation of our supply chain, in line with our business model of continued growth.

"This has resulted in some further volumes being transferred to our sister factory in Thailand".

Managing director Martin Batho said: "Whilst we have transferred some product to Thailand I want to reassure all of our customers that the Hoya Corporation is committed to having local production facilities to back up its national sales drive and this strategy will continue into the foreseeable future."