Housing slump hits Castle Cement

CASTLE Cement said it is looking to cutback on its drivers after being hit by the slump in the construction industry.

Castle, a division of building materials firm Hanson, is in talks with drivers over plans to cut its 250-strong fleet by 15%.

The business, which has a production site in Clitheroe, Lancashire, is facing up to a 20% year-on-year drop in demand for cement.

Its rival Cemex is also looking to make cuts and the move follows Hanson’s decision to mothball an Accrington brick factory with the loss of 80 jobs. The group has reported a 40% drop in demand for bricks.

Accrington Brick, which is said to have supplied bricks for the construction of New York’s Empire State Building, will be mothballed for 18 months in the hope the market picks up.

Hanson is part of the Heidelberg Cement Group which employs 70,000 people worldwide.