Cosi bought the manufacturing site from Revlon in 2001 Reaction: 'It's like when the collieries shut'

Creative Outsourcing Solutions International (Cosi) of Maesteg, near Bridgend, has already laid off nearly 250 people in the past month.

The site, previously owned by cosmetic giant Revlon, is next to a car parts plant which is stopping production.

Unions said they were deeply concerned, while the Welsh Assembly Government said it was in contact with the firm.

Last January, Cosi, which makes beauty products on contract for companies including Unilever and Body Shop, announced expansion plans to take on 300 workers over three years.

But earlier this month, nearly 100 job losses were announced, and on Thursday the contracts for another 150 people were not renewed.

Hopefully this will be the end of the drastic measures that the company have to take Mervyn Burnett, GMB union

To make matters worse for the local community, Friday is the final day of full production at Cooper Standard Automotive, a car parts factory next door to Cosi, which used to employ 600 before it decided to move production abroad.

Cosi's chief operating officer Stephen Bracegirdle told BBC Wales the problems facing the firm had moved on from the shelving of its £9m expansion plans, to the survival of the company.

He said it was a "serious loss-making company" and its 600 jobs were under threat.

He said its trading difficulties partly stemmed from the loss of a contract with a US manufacturer.

Mr Bracegirdle said: "The company is experiencing very serious challenges. We are fighting for our long-term survival.

"We are fighting to keep the jobs in Maesteg. The workforce is rallying round in support.

"We are looking for improvements in the near term."

'Critical period'

The company is in a 30-day consultation period with staff on the site over the redundancies.

Mervyn Burnett from the union GMB said the company was entering a critical period.

He said: "We are deeply concerned about the future of the company and hopefully this will be the end of the drastic measures that the company have to take. Hopefully it will correct itself and put it back on a secure future.

"Coming on the back of Cooper Standards closing its doors, this community can ill afford to lose many more jobs."

The Welsh Assembly Government said it was very disappointed by the announcement and senior officials were maintaining daily contact to monitor the situation.

Cosi bought the plant from Revlon in 2001.

Cooper Standard Automotive, which employed 600 people two years ago, will spend the rest of the year winding down its operation.

We asked for your comments:

Who else is as impressed with the Welsh Assembly Government's response as I am? What are they for again...
M Ron, Cardiff

It's a pardox, isn't it, that we are losing manufacturing jobs abroad and yet the people of many of those countries are flooding in to the UK to take jobs in that sector? I can't see where the circle is going to be squared; surely, with UK population set to soar, we are facing massive unemployment and social problems if there is no balancing factor. I can't fathom it at all.
Graham Martin, Birmingham, England

Would seem to me that companies who rely on substantial grants / assistance as part of their business plan are delaying the inevitable. Its such a shame for all the employees that Cosi's management team have failed them.
Mike Jones , Cardiff

I am one of the 150 in the last day or so to be laid off, i was really gutted, myself and the other 149 fought and worked really hard for those jobs.
jacqui , maesteg