A Japanese manufacturing firm has revealed plans to shut a factory in County Durham, placing hundreds of jobs at risk.
NSK said it was proposing to close its site in Peterlee as part of a strategy to exit unprofitable businesses.
The factory, which produces bearings for the automotive industry, employs approximately 350 people.
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NSK said it had begun consultations with union representatives on its plans.
The company first opened the Peterlee site in 1976. It has another UK manufacturing facility at Newark in Nottinghamshire and another three in Germany and Poland.
The Peterlee factory produces bearings for steering columns and wheel hubs.
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Its customers are understood to include fellow Japanese firm Nissan, which has sprawling car production facilities just up the coast at nearby Sunderland.
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Its statement said NSK Europe had faced “persistent challenges in the profitability of locally manufactured products”.
“NSK will continue discussions with stakeholders and provide support measures for affected staff if the closure proceeds, which is expected to be completed no later than March 2027.
“The company has not yet determined the full impact of this decision on its business performance,” the statement concluded.
Challenges for UK manufacturers in recent times include high energy costs, though the Peterlee factory is understood to have been run on power generated purely from wind.
Sky News was seeking further information from NSK and the plant’s union representatives.
