ST HELENS is reeling from the devastating news that Pilkington is set to close its Cowley Hill float glass line and shed 140 jobs.

The glass giants' confirmed the news – broken by the Star this morning - that it will cease manufacture and mothball the line.

Workers had already turned to social media this morning expressing their dismay. Managers and unions were briefed last night.

The company cites the lack of demand for flat glass due to the continuing downturn in the construction sector as its reason.

Matt Buckley, managing director UK and Ireland, said: “This is a very difficult decision for the company.

“Demand for architectural glass (replacement windows, new houses and new offices) is insufficient to warrant the number of float lines in the UK.

“This segment of our business is hugely loss making and we have had to address it in order to protect the rest of our business.”

Charlie Leonard, GMB regional officer, said: “This is a shock. It is a devastating blow to the economy of St Helens and to the workers and families of the 140 who will lose their jobs.

“GMB will meet with the company to fully understand the position and to assess what can be done to mitigate the extent of job losses.

“The closure of this high tech continuous production plant and the highly skilled well paid jobs is yet another major blow to the core of UK manufacturing.

“It represents a rolling back of national capability as float glass production is a UK invention. Last week it was steel jobs going also due to lack of demand in construction.

“Yesterday it was shipbuilding jobs. People are entitled to ask ‘what sort of recovery are we seeing?’”

In a statement Pilkington UK announced the proposals.

It read: “The current economic downturn has impacted severely on float glass volumes resulting in overcapacity, reduced prices and lack of profitability in the float product segment for the company in the UK.

“As a result, a decision has been taken to adjust production capacity to match profitable customer demand. It is anticipated that approximately 140 jobs will be affected.

“The new off-line coating line, as well as silvering, laminating and associated warehousing and Engineering activity will continue on the Cowley Hill site.

“The company will continue to manufacture float glass at its larger line at Greengate (UK5), also in St Helens.

“The company will be opening a voluntary redundancy window to mitigate the impact of compulsory redundancies.

“Discussions have commenced with employees and their representatives.”

One Pilks employee said there was a sense of anger when staff were told the news yesterday.

Asking not to be named he said: “There was a managers’ meeting at first before they called us all in.

“We believe 140 people will lose their jobs, but as of yet we haven’t been given a reason. Although they are losing money hand over fist and the market isn’t picking up.

“Initially we were told we were going on ‘hot-hold’, which means keeping the furnace hot and stop production for five months, but we didn’t think it would close.

“People are obviously gutted. I’ve been there for 12 years but some have been there 40 years. But in the last eight years they have taken on 200 people.

“I anticipate they will say it is down to costs because it is now illegal to say last in first out.

“Now they are going to have to buy glass from rival companies and sell it under their own name which defeats the object.”

He said that morale at the company has been rock bottom since it was sold to the Japanese, adding: “Whenever we have had an announcement it has been before Christmas. We have never had a good Christmas for the last seven years.

"We haven’t had a decent wage rise in a few years and they stopped all bonuses.

“People are angry because it was out of the blue. It couldn’t have come at a worse time. Some in their 50s who have been there years will get redundancy but I’m younger so I won’t get a lot and I have two young kids.

“I imagine that Pilks will no longer have a good name in St Helens anymore. It used to be somewhere where you wanted to work.”

Shaun Woodward, MP for St Helens South and Whiston, said: “This is a devastating blow for those workers and families who face losing their jobs just before Christmas.

“I will be speaking with Pilkington Glass today and will do everything I can to help those who lose their jobs find work as quickly as possible.

"It is imperative that all local partners such as St Helens Council and St. Helens Chamber work together to help find work for the affected workforce."