North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Economy Minister to help REHAU group diversify following its announcement that it may have to close its Anglesey factory.

Global firm REHAU Group, which has been in Amlwch for more than 40 years, has said it had been making considerable efforts to secure the future of the facility, but that the market for PVC Edgeband, the facility’s primary manufacturing focus, has gone into significant decline.

During this week’s Topical Questions in the Assembly Chamber, Mr Isherwood, asked the Economy Minister, Ken Skates AM, what action he has taken since the announcement to help the company.

He said:  

“When REHAU Group announced proposals that may lead to the closure of its manufacturing site in Amlwch, after being there for over 40 years, it not only said that there was no sign of the market for PVC Edgeband recovering, but also that the manufacture of alternative products on the site was, quote, 'impossible due to space restrictions'.

“What discussion have you had either prior to this decision or announcement, or now that you're in dialogue with the company since their announcement, regarding the space on the site so that they could possibly diversify?”

The Minister replied: “What we're looking at doing is diversifying and switching from what is a declining product - there's a declining demand for that particular product - to either other products within the group that could be diverted temporarily or more permanently to the Amlwch site or indeed those third parties.

we were to remove some of the Edgeband production from the Amlwch site and then see new products brought into the site, it would, of course, require a degree of investment, and that's specifically what Welsh Government officials are now working with the company in examining.”