ALPS Electronic Ireland Limited has announced that its plant in Millstreet, Co Cork, is to be reduced from its current level of 150 permanent employees and 40 temporary workers to approximately 70 in the near future. Management said the reductions would take place on a phased basis from the end of June to September next.

According to Mr John O'Sullivan, the chief executive at the company in County Cork, ALPS is committed to maintaining a manufacturing presence in Millstreet and to making every effort to re-grow the company's operation in the North Cork town at a later stage. He added that the downturn in the international market might have meant the complete closure of the Millstreet plant but because of the huge contribution made by employees there since 1988, the company's philosophy was to do all it could to maintain a presence in Millstreet.

ALPS Electronic has 120 employees in Killarney, County Kerry, and there are indications that a further 30 jobs might be created at the plant within a year. However, the Killarney plant manufactures electronic components for the automotive industry but in Millstreet, where computer peripherals are manufactured, extreme competition from China and South East Asia has caused difficulties.

Mr O'Sullivan said that in the case of Millstreet, a specialist consultancy team had been hired to assist employees in finding alternative employment. Potential employers and recruitment agencies would also be invited to Millstreet and ALPS ELectronic which had its headquarters in Tokyo was now actively seeking to attract new interests to the company's facility in the medium or long term.