Haulage jobs go as aluminium plant shuts

Haulage jobs have already been lost following the end of smelting at an aluminium plant on Anglesey, with a warning that more redundancies could follow. Anglesey Aluminium, which was the largest employer in North Wales, has cut nearly 400 jobs. It shut down a large part of its operations at the end of September. Subcontractors such as haulier LE Jones, which is based in Ruthin, have also suffered. The haulier, which has 50 staff, carried at least 15 loads a day from the plant. It has been forced to re-tender for the much smaller amount of remaining work. Transport manager Richard Nugent reveals that two night drivers have already been laid off, and that more drivers "might well have to go" in future. "They were our biggest customer," he adds. Nugent estimates that at one time, Anglesey Aluminium provided 60%-70% of LE Jones' work, and although this had already fallen to 40%, the closure of the main part of its operation was still a big blow. The plant is owned jointly by Rio Tinto and Kaiser Aluminium, which was closed after failing to secure a discounted energy deal. The plant, on the outskirts of Holyhead, used a huge amount of energy, consuming 12% of the electricity used in Wales. The UK government offered a £48m rescue package over four years, but the plant's owners turned this down, saying it would still not give them enough to break even.