THIRTY-SIX jobs are to go at East Lancashire healthcare firm Medex Medical.

The company are transferring their kit packaging operation from Haslingden to a newly-acquired company in the east of Germany and to Ashfield Medical Systems in Cumbernauld.

The company blames the changes on the adverse exchange rate conditions and changes in the healthcare market.

It says: "The total costs for manufacturing packs in Rossendale has increased to the extent that it is having a negative effect on the ability to compete in the kit packing market throughout Europe.

"Eighty per cent of the kit packing business is within the German market so it therefore makes sound business sense to move this operation to Germany.''

The changes will involve 36 redundancies at the St Crispin Way plant in Haslingden, including direct, indirect, administrative and managerial positions.

The jobs will go between December 1 and June 30.

Dr G Landsberg, senior vice-president for European Operations, stated: "We regret this action but employees will be redeployed where possible and will receive the independent help of an outplacement agency to guide them through this difficult period and give them additional skills to help them obtain future employment.

"We believe that with our main assembly operation we will remain competitive and secure the business.''

Medex, which has been in East Lancashire for more than 11 years, employs 270 at the Haslingden site making disposal medical products for hospitals and the healthcare industry.

Earlier this year the company was taken over by American company Furon in a multi-million pound deal.

Furon, based in California, is a major firm with operations throughout America and Europe.

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