Managing director of Urbis,Ian Pratt
In a bid to improve its economies of scale,Urbis is to source its luminaires from Schreder factories in Europe from 2012.
Urbis has been a member of the Schreder Group since 1977 and the move will see the gradual phase out of the manufacture of HID luminaires at the company's Basingstoke site this year.
In total 120 jobs are likely to be affected but the company will retain the ability to manufacture its decorative product range in the UK,as well as the ability to develop prototypes and carry out special promotional runs.
The technical,sales,marketing,customer services,finance,supply chain and logistic operations,and an enlarged product development function,will remain based in Basingstoke.
Managing director of Urbis,Ian Pratt said,We are genuinely sorry for our employees affected by this move and the fact that this will be the end of high volume UK manufacturing for us,but it is a change we need to make to react to market forces.
He added,We will ensure that the manufacturing change is totally seamless for our customers by operating parallel production facilities in the UK and the overseas factories.To maintain customer service levels,we will hold finished stock in the UK and make deliveries direct from our Basingstoke warehouse.
The changes form part of Urbis overall strategy to maximise sales in the UK and ensure long-term profitable growth.
