Thomson Litho is believed to be considering opening a new plant in central Europe to safeguard its business.


The East Kilbride-based company has been hit by Compaqs decision to switch desktop computer production from Scotland to the Czech Republic.
Around 240 Thomson Litho staff produce instruction booklets for Compaq, according to the Glasgow Evening Times.


The company is poised to make 40 staff redundant, with a further 20 jobs under review (PrintWeek, 6 July).
GPMU Scottish secretary David Munro told PrintWeek: Discussions are taking place, but I dont know how far in advance the idea is. Its something thats going on throughout the industry companies are moving with their main
supplier, and in this case it happens to be Compaq.


The company employs
626 people. Thomson Litho Holdings, which also includes Variquik International and Tillicoultry Bookbinders, reported sales of almost 43m for the year to June 2000, with exports accounting for 9.3m. Pre-tax profits were 499,000.
A voluntary redundancy scheme has now been finalised, with no compulsory redundancies in effect as yet.


There have been claims that non-union members have been offered a statutory redundancy package amounting to 1,200 less than their union colleagues.
Munro said the GPMU was only representing its members and knew nothing about the row.
It has gone as smoothly as any redundancies could go, he said. Weve finalised discussions and done all we can do. And hopefully there will be an upturn in work later on.
Shift patterns at the plant are set to change as a natural consequence of the job losses, with details yet to be finalised.


Thomson Litho human resources manager Alan Watson declined to comment.


Story by Fay Schopen