Black day for Brechin as forty jobs are shed
BRECHIN has been dealt another major jobs blow with the news that Kelman Engineering has closed the doors of its Eastmill Road site together with the company's operation in Turriff.
The news will mean the loss of around seventy jobs altogether - around 40 of them in Brechin.
Kelman Engineering was established by Mark Kelman in 1999 and specialised in all types of steel and metalwork for various sectors of the engineering industry.
The company took over the running of the operation from the ailing Matrix Engineered Systems Limited in December 2008.
Mr Kelman said the company had been the victim of less and less work becoming available in their particular segment of the market place.
"Companies are fighting for continually reduced amounts of work and getting less profit as a result.
"To sustain the overheads which need to be met is very, very difficult and it has proved more and more difficult recently.
"We simply reached the point where things could no longer be kept going.
"The appointed liquidators will now try and sell off the assets to satisfy creditors.
"It's all gone. It's a very difficult time and the best thing we can do is treat it like any family would and offer support to each other."
With the company ceasing to trade on both the Brechin Eastmill Road site and in Turriff, Aberdeen-based Meston Reid and Co. have been appointed as liquidators.
Angus MP Mike Weir described the news as a "black day for Brechin".
"This is a tragedy for those people working at Kelman Engineering," he commented.
"There were some very skilled individuals employed by the company and these are people we need to keep in jobs.
"It's an utter tragedy they were unable to keep going. It's a sign of the times in which we live. Many firms are feeling it very tough indeed, given the current economic situation.
"The Scottish Government, I understand, will be putting in their PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) team to try and help those affected to obtain new jobs.
"I hope these people can find new jobs in this particular area.
"These are skills we cannot afford to lose if we are going to get ourselves out of a recession.
"We have to get people back into work and have to create these jobs within the local economy.
"It's one of the last engineering companies in the town and obviously Mark has fought hard.
"I have been involved with some of the projects to try and avoid this. At the end of the day we simply couldn't do so.
"Above all, however, you can't disguise the fact, it's a black day for Brechin."
Matrix employee and long-serving trade union official David Todd, said he was deeply saddened by the news of Kelman Engineering's demise, not only for the present generation, but for generations to come.
Mr Todd also said he wanted to see Matrix International, a totally unconnected operation also presently remaining on the Eastmill Road site, given incentives not only to remain in Brechin but to grow here too.
"This week we witnessed the collapse of what was once the very heartbeat of Brechin," he commented.
"Apart from the nostalgia and sadness I feel a very great sense of loss and betrayal to the community, past, present and, worst of all, future.
"In the past the "Cov" produced world class engineering that made a major contribution to the defeat of Hitler and his fascism.
"Its training saw many apprentices reach the commanding heights of industry all over the world. Today many Brechin-trained engineers are captains of industry across the globe.
"It's a very sad day for Brechin, almost akin to losing one of the family.
"I have to ask myself why did the Brechiners not campaign over the past couple of years to help the industry when it was having problems by lobbying our administrators to help it sustain its growth in Brechin.
"I take the view that our elected representatives have let us down. However, it is we Brechiners who put them there in the first place.
"Brechin has to take a serious look at itself. The only consolation left is that the only way for this once proud city to go now is up and I'd like to know who is prepared to lead the campaign for Brechin.
"In conclusion, a constructive suggestion to our MP, MSP and councillors - get yourself down to Eastmill Road and offer Matrix International, a separate operation altogether, help to fan the spark that's left burning there.
"Offer them a modern unit on the city bypass and, by doing so, make an attempt to resurrect Brechin's industrial growth by tabling incentives they can't refuse."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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