Kiel workers accept new deal

Heidelberg hopes to transfer production of its NexPress digital colour press to Rochester, New York, by the end of the year.

It has reached agreement with the workforce at its Kiel site in Germany, which currently manufactures the press.

There will be 560 redundancies at Kiel, but staff have accepted an improved redundancy package combined with the opportunity of retraining at a firm jointly funded by Heidelberg and the workers council.

Earlier this year there was industrial action at the plant when workers held a three-day strike.

A spokeswoman for Heidelberg said the move from Kiel should start in September.

The losses at Kiel were announced last year as part of 2,200 job cuts worldwide aimed at saving Heidelberg 130m a year.