FIFTY people are to be made redundant at a Burnley manufacturer.

Bosses at George Wilkinson (GW) International, in Elm Street, broke the news to staff on Thursday.

A statement from the kitchenware firm blamed "an increasingly competitive world market" for the job losses which, bosses said, were necessary to allow the company to invest in its UK manufacturing plant, and develop its overseas sites.

GW International chief executive Garry Gresham said: "A considerable investment package in the Burnley site will enable us to manufacture our products more quickly, and offset the rising costs facing all UK companies, including energy and wages.

"The investment progra-mme into the most modern production methods will result in a restructuring of the business, and will develop the current capacity to over 30million pieces of bakeware per year although, regrettably, there will be up to 50 jobs lost during the course of the restructuring."

The redundancies, expected to take effect in July, will leave 109 employees at the company.

Edna Greenwood, Burnley branch secretary for trade union GMB, said: "It's always sad to have redundancies, but particu-larly in Burnley and Pendle where unemployment is already high.

"Some of those being struck off have been with the company for many years, and there are some couples who work there. If the redundancies include both of them, it is an even harder blow. I have spoken with the managing director, and I know that this has also hit the bosses really hard.

"It's difficult for them to let go of people who have been with them for so long.

"The firm have been as good as they can in this situation, and are offering employees paid leave to look for new jobs. At least they are keeping the factory open and 109 jobs have been saved.

"They could have decided to struggle on, which probably would have meant the whole firm closed in a few years. At least this way there's a chance one of Burnley's major manufact-urers can continue.

"The competition is so tough now, with cheaper foreign imports from China and other places, and rising prices for materials in this country."

The GMB's two shop stewards at the firm, one of whom is being made redundant, were thrashing out the terms of the deal yesterday.

GW International was founded in 1931 by George Wilkinson, and remained a family-run business until 1978, when it was sold to Metalrax.

Ian Wilkinson, the founder's grandson and former manufacturing director at the firm, said: "Metalrax have been a very good parent company, bringing stability to the firm, and treating employees well.

"Redundancies are always hard, but this means money can be invested in technology to secure the company's future."