A raft of work from Polestar's Greaves, Varnicoat and Chantry sites is due to move to the Sheffield superplant, as well as Purnell's supplements contract for The Guardian.

Alan Fraser, Polestar Purnell managing director, said that much of the plant's work would move to Sheffield, but that part of it would move to other group plants, including web offset sites, to "fill the gaps" left by the shift of work from other sites to Sheffield.

One of Purnell's presses, a 72pp Cerutti 35RS which was installed at the site in 2001, will move to Sheffield in October, a month after the first redundancies at the site.

Purnell staff voted overwhelmingly in favour of the redundancy agreement after a meeting with Amicus assistant general secretary Tony Burke on Monday.

Burke said: "It's a very sad day for the staff, and there is anger and disappointment over the plans. But I made it clear that this was the only offer the staff were going to get and they voted in favour."
Polestar has set up a job centre at the plant to advise staff looking for work, and is also working with local firms and local authorities to advertise vacancies.

Polestar group human resources director Catherine Hearn said that a number of interviews will take place next week for Purnell staff looking to move to the Sheffield plant.

Fraser added his praise for the "cooperation of everyone at the factory at this difficult time" and thanked customers for their support.
Polestar will now market the site, amid local concern over whether it will be sold for residential or industrial use. Fraser said: "The site has planning approval for industrial units and its sale value will be determined by that."

Barratt Homes last year bought a tranche of surplus land on the Purnell site for 7.3m, but a planning application to build 217 homes was refused in April.

Meanwhile, Amicus and Polestar have agreed on union recognition, pay rates and working conditions at Polestar's Sheffield plant. Burke said the agreement was "a major investment".

Story by Josh Brooks