Famous glass firm’s UK headquarters under threat from Japan withdrawal
THE European headquarters of the Japanese-owned NSG Pilkington glass company is in jeopardy along with a number of other firms which could move out of the UK following the Brexit vote.
The NSG, which relcoated from St Helens to Lathom, near Ormskirk last year, employs around 2,500 people in the UK. The well-known Pilkington company was acquired by NSG in 2006.
A report from Japan’s foreign ministry says firms might want to move “if EU laws cease to be applicable in the UK”.
It calls on the UK Government to deal with the companies’ concerns in a “responsible manner”.
Downing Street received the report earlier this week, said the BBC.
An estimated 140,000 workers in the UK are employed by Japanese companies in the UK with Nomura bank, manufacturing giant Hitachi and carmakers Honda, Nissan and Toyota all having major bases in the country.
The letter says: “Japanese businesses with their European headquarters in the UK may decide to transfer their head-office function to Continental Europe if EU laws cease to be applicable in the UK after its withdrawal.”
Specific companies are not mentioned, but the document states that it was written in response to “a variety of requests from Japanese businesses operating in the UK and the EU”.
