Lotus to shed jobs in major restructuring

The Norfolk car maker Group Lotus is to shed up to 325 jobs as part of a global restructuring of its business. The news announced this afternoon comes despite Government grants for Lotus which were supposed to protect jobs.

Lotus has been under pressure in the past few years as it struggles to find new markets for its cars and engineering services.

Currently around a thousand staff work at its base at Hethel near Norwich with another two hundred or so working elsewhere.

The Malasyian owners have been looking at how to cut costs and this afternoon they announced a restructuring which they say will build a strong and sustainable future for the business.

Group Lotus says it wants to redeploy staff wherever possible and will look for ways to retain specific skills and knowledge within the business, despite the proposed cuts.

The company says it regrets the potential effect the changes may have on its dedicated and hard-working employees.

Group Lotus will now consult with staff and workers’ representatives on the proposed changes and on ways and means of avoiding job losses, reducing the number of job losses and mitigating the impact of any changes that are necessary.