A GLOBAL packaging manufacturer has been slammed for a "sickening" decision pull scores of jobs from a Scottish council area.
The Greenock Telegraph reported that the long-established Berry BPI plastics firm has moved the last of its operations out of its Inverclyde base.
The company announced the closure of its manufacturing operation in the town in August 2023, with the loss of around 65 jobs.
Up to 50 posts were retained locally, mostly in finance and administration – but those have now been relocated too. Reports said the posts had been moved to Paisley.
Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe expressed deep disappointment, telling the Greenock Telegraph that the firm had not reached out to the local authority for help finding an alternative base in Inverclyde.
He said: "The relocation of these jobs out of Inverclyde is yet another blow to the local economy.
“At the time the decision was taken to close the manufacturing plant we were assured by the company that the finance service centre and the head office would remain in Greenock.
“It is simply not the way to do business.
“I raised this latest jobs loss with Tom Arthur MSP, the Scottish Government's Minister for Employment and Investment, when I met him on Monday to discuss what support the Government could offer to the Inverclyde Task Force to address the over 1200 jobs losses we have already had in the past 18 months.
“We need action and funding from government to address this jobs crisis and not just warm words."
Following Berry's decision last year to close down its local manufacturing operation, it was confirmed that the collapse of Scotland’s proposed bottle deposit return scheme and the loss of an NHS Scotland supply contract had contributed to the decision.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Berry BPI had invested in the Greenock site to manufacture personal protective equipment (PPE) items for the NHS, helping establish a Scottish supply chain for the health service at a time when countries across the globe were competing for limited PPE supplies.
Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Stuart McMillan said the firm’s decision to leave was a sign that the area needed to be given more cash to help bring businesses in.
He said: “This news is hugely disappointing. The last thing Inverclyde needs is more jobs leaving the area.
“I engaged with the business at the time to try to keep these jobs local. It is yet another example of why Inverclyde needs additional investment to help promote it as a place to do business.”
The massive former Berry BPI site has now been snapped up by multi-millionaire brothers Sandy and James Easdale, who hope to redevelop the area.
The Berry BPI site comprises a large industrial complex originally developed in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
The complex extends to 117,816 square feet and comprises a two-storey office building and a series of inter-connecting industrial buildings of varying age and construction together with a yard and car parking areas.
Berry BPI declined to comment on the decision to pull out of Inverclyde.
