The Green Home Company to create 100 jobs in Bridgend
Thursday 26 January 2012 7:58 AM
A solar energy company says it is creating 100 jobs in Bridgend as part of a major expansion.
The Green Home Company, which installs solar panels, is creating 50 posts now, with plans to double its workforce by the end of February.
It follows news that the UK government has lost its legal appeal over attempts to block subsidies for the industry.
The Green Home Company, which is based in Maidstone, Kent, will serve customers across Wales and south-west England.
It starts work in south Wales with an initial team of 80, which is made up of 30 trainers and managers and 50 new jobs.
Executive chairman Alan Proto said: "We are thrilled to have launched our new operations in Bridgend so that more people in the south-west region can benefit from our solar installations."
However, workers at the AGI Shorewood factory on Ebbw Vale's Rassau industrial estate, Blaenau Gwent, have been told that the south Wales operation will be closed.
Some workers might be offered the chance to move to one of the company's other factories in Swindon, Slough or Dublin.
"Computer games"
The company has not commented so far, but Unite union officials said a consultation period had started which would end on 21 February.
The Ebbw Vale concern, which makes packaging for CDs, DVDs and computer games, was part of a merger last year.
Only three weeks ago, the company said all Shorewood Packaging locations would fall under a new combined unit called AGI-Shorewood.
AGI-Shorewood employs nearly 4,000 people worldwide and operates 24 manufacturing facilities in north America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
It also has five plastic injection moulding operations in the United States, UK, Germany and Poland.
Also See