UK construction and material group Tarmac is to relocate its tunnel segment manufacturing plant as part of a wider rationalisation of its precast concrete business. The tunnel segment manufacturing plant is to be moved within England from Kirkby, Nottinghamshire, to Tallington in Lincolnshire. Tarmac told T&TI that the changeover would take about six months and would not lead to a reduction in output of segments for the tunnelling sector.
Tarmac added that the majority of existing orders would likely be fulfilled at Kirkby but new orders would start to be transferred to the Tallington site, at which Tarmac plans significant investment in its general precast concrete production capabilities.
Details were not immediately available on whether the planned £1.5M (US$3M) investment in segment manufacturing plant at Tallington would lead to an increase in production capacity. The segments are marketed by Tarmac Precast Concrete under the Charcon Tunnels brand.
The Kirkby site is to be closed and about 130 workers are at risk of redundancy. At Tallington, the investment in tunnel segment production could create about 80 jobs. Tarmac added that the changes came from a review of its entire precast business as overall demand has decreased. The review of the business preceded the recent credit crunch.
