Companies on a business estate are threatening to move after a spate of power cuts left machinery wrecked and customers waiting.

Manufacturers on the Wickford Business Park have suffered four power cuts in the last month and claim that 24seven, their electricity network, is not supplying the estate with enough power.

Mark Emberson, managing director of Preciousplate Europe, said: "It is getting beyond a joke. Things have got so bad that we are considering moving.

Fed up - quality manager Kevin Mullins, of Tag Labels, surrounded by machines all needing electricity Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

"It has cost us about £3,000 as on a couple of occasions our filter pumps have overheated and packed up."

In the last week, there have been a couple of power failures, including a costly three-hour shutdown for manufacturers.

Kevin Mullins, Quality Manager for Tag Labels in the business park's Buckingham Square, which labels products for most of the major supermarkets, said: "With so many problems in the supply, it is getting less and less easy to get labels to people on time."

A spokesman for 24seven said: "Our apologies to the business customers who are affected. We are aware of the problem.

"We have spoken to our business customers and are taking measurements to identify the capacity and the amount of electricity being used to determine the best solution. As soon as we have the results, we will reinforce the network appropriately."

Published Tuesday October 15, 2002

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