JOBS JOY IN API BUYOUT
New lease of life for the Livingston workforce
A buyer has been found for the closure- hit API Foils factory in Livingston.
Its 107 workers were told they would be made redundant at the end of January when bosses said the site would shut.
After administrators were called in on January 31, the Scottish Government and West Lothian Council scrambled to help the firm find a buyer.
Last week Australian company Aldus said it will be taking over API’s operations in the UK. The new firm will be called API Foilmakers Ltd.
Futhermore, more than 100 jobs will be created when a new company restarts production at the plant, which makes foils for packaging.
API’s former managing director Will Oldham will be back to lead
the new company. He said: “I am delighted to be back leading the API’s European Foil business which has been at the forefront of quality graphic stamping foils for many years.
“Joining the Aldus Group will give our team the financial strength and support to ensure that we can continue to deliver the highest quality product to our customers across Europe and the world.
“We are particularly pleased to be restarting the Scottish manufacturing facility and ensuring the continuing operation of our distribution hubs across Europe, delivering 160 jobs, including more than 100 in Scotland.”
Unite union deputy Scottish secretary Mary Alexander said: “Unite are grateful for the hard work that all interested parties have put into working towards a positive outcome for API Foils.
“The announcement that a subsidiary of the company has acquired the business and its assets is fantastic news for the workforce.
“It is Unite’s hope that the factory can scale up its operations quickly and take on those workers who were made redundant by the previous announcement. We look forward to playing our part in making this factory a continued success and aim to meet the new management as soon as possible.”
Labour Lothians MSP Neil Findlay also welcomed the news. He said: “It is incredibly important that we keep well-paid, secure jobs in West Lothian in order to boost the local economy here.”
SNP MSP Angela Constance said: “I am delighted at the positive outcome for this organisation in my constituenc y . Congratulations to those who worked so hard to make this possible.”
Conservative MSP Miles Briggs added: “This is fantastic news for employees at the API Foils in Livingston whose jobs were under threat.”