Curtis Looks To Consolidate - Dalmore Mill May Go

Curtis Fine Papers is considering the consolidation of papermaking on a single site.

Curtis Fine Papers is considering the consolidation of papermaking on a single site.

Consultation has begun on potential redundancies and possible closure of the company's Dalmore mill, near Edinburgh after the company undertook what it described as a thorough review of its business.

The independent Scottish papermaker has told the workforce of 127 people at Dalmore that their jobs are at risk.

Managing director Alban Denton announced the consultation on potential redundancies at a company meeting at Dalmore following early morning talks with GPMU (Graphical, Paper and Media Union) trade union officials.

He later told employees that the company would work with representatives of the workforce to look at ways of avoiding redundancies, reducing redundancies or to help minimise the effect of redundancy at Dalmore.

The managerial, administrative and process jobs at risk represent 25% of the total workforce at Curtis Fine Papers, which also operates a larger paper mill employing 305 people at Guardbridge, near St Andrews.

Curtis said that tough trading conditions in key markets have turned a ?1.28m profit in 2002 into a loss of ?269,000 in 2003 but the company aims to return to profit in 12 months by focussing on profitable business, reducing costs and operating from a single site.

Over the last two years Curtis Fine Papers has invested ?2m in advanced process control equipment at both mills and acquired the speciality papers business of Klippan International.

In common with other fine paper businesses, Curtis has been affected by the global slump in the advertising sector and the impact of falling demand for print media.

Confidence in the future of the business is focussed on new product developments coming on stream and expansion in new geographical areas, the company added.

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