Around 30 jobs are set to be axed at Crittall Windows - one of Braintree's largest employers.

Workers have been asked for voluntary redundancies but have not been given reasons by senior management at the Springwood Industrial Estate firm.

Peter Stephens, of the Transport and General Workers Union, confirmed workers had been approached and had until Monday to come forward.

He added: "We don't know for sure what the breakdown of redundancies is on staff but we expect the majority will be from the factory floor.

"In the light of redundancies at the company over the last two years we are not optimistic 30 people will come forward."

He added that like many manufacturing companies, Crittall Windows - which employs around 250 people - was going through a period of "sorting itself out".

He also said meetings between trade union representatives and management would be on-going and he expected to have more information by the end of the week.

A relative of a factory floor worker, who did not wish to be named, said: "He is very concerned about his job and doesn't know anyone who wishes to take redundancy. It's been a difficult time for the workers and they're worried about the future."

The new redundancies come after the axing of nine jobs last November. Around 80 jobs had already been lost early last year after a review of the company's business strategy.

Crittall Windows is one of Braintree's oldest firms and once employed more than 1,000 people.

But the effects of the recession had seen the workforce shrink to 300 by September 1997 when the firm was taken over by an American conglomerate, the Chicago-based Marmon Group.

Crittall Windows said it was not prepared to comment at this stage.

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