A company based in Westcliff has stepped in to ease the suffering caused by car plant closures at Ford and Vauxhall by offering hundreds of former workers an employment lifeline.

Sales, marketing and recruitment company Direct Marketing Partnership, of London Road, has approached executives at the now defunct car assembly plants at Dagenham and Luton with details of hundreds of possible sales jobs it is looking to fill on behalf of its clients.

Staff hunters - DMP partners Scott Dawkins and Henry MacDonald, keen to take on former car workers 18GLVFM

The company has a massive need for sales reps to either be trained and employed on a commission basis by DMP itself or to be placed in commission-based or salaried positions with its clients throughout the UK, particularly power company Seeboard.

DMP is convinced that many of those left jobless after the recent factory closures could fit the bill.

Partner Scott Dawkins said: "If we can help get people back into work we will. If we can get 400 people, we will take 400 people."

DMP founding partner, Henry MacDonald, said: "It is proving tough to get enough people at the moment, because the utilities market in particular is very competitive.

"So when Dagenham closed we thought it would be worthwhile contacting Ford and Vauxhall to let the workers know that there are jobs around.

DMP, which has just opened new offices and includes Amerada Hess, Economy Power, Talk Communications and the Injury Claim Company among its clients, now plans to expand into telesales and call centre operation.

For more information call 01702 434545.

Published Tuesday, March 26, 2002