Threat to Future of Top Local Manufacturer

1.54.21pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 29th Jul 2008

The American owners (Alta) of local, Twickenham, engineering company Twiflex are planning to close the Twickenham factory by September 2009 and relocate to Bedford.

Twiflex has operated (under various owners) in Twickenham since 1947 and employs 60 people including highly skilled machinists making brakes for industrial equipment all over the world. The planned closure is occurring despite the company doubling its volume of sales in recent years. The Twiflex managing director, Peter Wood, has however established a works committee to head off the closure by finding alternative savings. He met MP Vincent Cable today to discuss the closure and to explore different means by which help would be obtained to keep the factory in Twickenham.

Vincent Cable said: "Twiflex is an outstandingly successful company making world class products. It is one of the only competitive manufacturing companies left in this area of any size. The closure is being forced by the US owners once the lease expires in September to make savings, even though the business is doing well. The committee which has been established is exploring all kinds of options for savings or for new business to keep the plant in Twickenham. They deserve to succeed and I have undertaken to help in what ever way I can".