ONE hundred jobs are to go at the Trico windscreen-wiper factory at Skewfields, Pontypool, it was revealed today.

Management at the plant called workers together yesterday to announce the move, giving them the statutory 90-day notice.

Voluntary redundancies are being sought, but if these are not forthcoming there will be compulsory redundancies.

One of the workers, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "We knew something was going on but this has still come as a shock.

"Many people have worked here for years and they're not ready to leave. There is a lot of uncertainty about whose jobs are safe and whose will have to go."

The Amicus union is negotiating on behalf of workers who may be affected.

At the meeting management spokesmen blamed falling profits for the re-organisation, and declared an intention to shift manufacturing of some wiper components to other sites abroad.

Speaking to the Argus, Dave Cumming, president of Trico Products, said: "To remain competitive we need to achieve some economies of scale and so we're going to consolidate wiper component manufacturing at our plants in Texas and New Mexico, and at a partner's plant in Asia.

"But the Pontypool site remains important to us as an assembly centre and we will continue to serve our customers from there."

The plant is a key local employer, with 200 people on the shop floor and a further 200 in the offices.

In the past Trico has benefited from Assembly support, attracting a regional selective assistance grant in October 2001. The company belongs to the Tomkins group plc.