Michelin is latest overseas giant to let the air out of British tyre manufacturing

FRENCH tyre giant Michelin has put more than 800 jobs at risk in Scotland - a month after an American tyre firm gave similar devastating news to workers in Wiltshire.

Dundee has been left reeling on news that Michelin proposes to close its tyre factory in the city - where 845 people work - by mid-2020.

It follows a month after an announcement that Cooper Tire had put 300 jobs in Melkhsham at risk by switching production to Serbia.

Cooper is the biggest employer in Melksham and the town has been devastated by the potential job losses, after the US firm said its plant was no longer competitive.

It is a similar picture in Dundee, with cheap imports hitting the plant’s viability.

Michelin bosses yesterday gave Scottish Economy Secretary Derek Mackay until the end of the month to come up with a plan that could save the closure-threatened site.

Mr Mackay said the tyre maker had agreed to give him a hearing “in about three weeks’ time” so he can put an alternative proposal to them.

He has tasked Steve Dunlop, chief executive of Scottish Enterprise, to work on a “repurposing proposition” looking at different options for the plant, which employs 845 workers.

Mr Mackay told BBC Radio Scot- land’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “I will be pulling together the best expertise, to put the best possible proposition to Michelin.

“They, whilst not wanting to revisit the decision, are at least giving me a hearing in about three weeks’ time so I can put that offer to them.”

Mr Mackay travelled to Paris to hold talks with senior figures from the French-based firm at the weekend, after learning of the proposal.