ONE of Maldon’s major employers is axing jobs just nine months after merging with a Danish company.

Calorex, based on The Causeway, has announced plans to cut its 113 strong workforce by 23 per cent.

The Standard understands this amounts to up to 26 jobs.

Calorex, which manufactures heat pumps and dehumidifiers, merged with Dantherm in January and some items are now manufactured at its factory in Denmark.

Managing director Richard Carrington said a restructuring had been launched following the merger to create “an integrated and economically more streamlined business”.

He said: “With this in mind, the production of higher volume smaller units will be being transferred to the Dantherm factory in Denmark, which will reduce our manufacturing workload by approximately 45 per cent.

"We will however, in anticipation of business growth, only be reducing our workforce by 23 per cent and then mainly through natural wastage and voluntary redundancies.

“We will be continuing to build the high-end, large scale units in Maldon, which requires specific knowledge and skills, allowing us to create new job positions.

"By doing this we can reallocate staff and train them to be more multi-skilled employees, therefore improving the manufacturing process.”

Maldon MP John Whittingdale said he was surprised to hear of the redundancies.

He said: “When I visited them about 18 months ago they were hoping to expand and looking for larger premises, so I am disappointed to hear that. Any job losses are sad.

“I hope Calorex continue to have a strong future in Maldon. For those who sadly lose their jobs I hope they will be able to find alternative employment quickly.”