Staff at Belleek Pottery suffered an early blow to the new year this week when it was announced that the company is to make 13 of its production team redundant.
The company, which celebrated its 150th anniversary last year, said the job losses reflected the current downturn in its market for traditional product ranges, particularly in the USA.
There are currently 240 staff employed at the Belleek plant, with approximately 140 of those working on the company's traditional range.
In a statement, a spokesperson confirmed the losses but, said the company was hopeful that the majority would be filled through voluntary redundancy.
"The need to make redundancies reflects the current downturn in the market for Belleek's traditional product ranges, particularly in the USA. Traditional Belleek, which includes, basketweave and ornate flowered and painted pieces, is particularly labour intensive.
"However, sales of Belleek Living, the company's contemporary giftware and tableware ranges continue to perform very well."
SDLP MLA Tommy Gallagher, who is from Belleek, said he was very concerned. Yesterday (Tuesday) he met with Enterprise Minister Nigel Dodds to air his views.
"This is worrying news for the area because, even though the numbers may not be very high in terms of the total workforce, the reason given is a downturn in the vital US market. The Pottery has been the mainstay of the local economy for 150 years and I hope it will continue to be for as long again," Mr Gallagher said.
"Everyone understands the global competitive pressures on our manufacturing industries, but this is an absolutely unique product which is worthy of protection, not only for the local jobs, but for its powerful input into our tourism in the North and indeed across the island of Ireland."
He recalled that Invest NI had invested heavily in Belleek Pottery, 'a flagship industry of vital importance to the whole economy'.
"It is important to recognise that the location is an inherent part of the brand, so there must be no question of moving to any other location in response to market pressures," Mr Gallagher concluded.
The news comes following a year of celebration in Belleek, the highlight of which was the Pottery's International Collector's Convention held last April.
MILESTONE
Reflecting on the company's 150th milestone last January, Belleek Pottery's owner, George Moore acknowledged that traditional Belleek no longer appealed to a younger consumer.
He added that Belleek Living, which provided a 'table top' collection, was extremely popular due to its availability for everyday use, affordable price range, and high-end quality.
"Seventy per cent of our production is Belleek Living," he commented. "That is incredulous, that within a four year period we have shifted from 100 per cent traditional to now 70 per cent Belleek Living and 30 per cent traditional."
Such unprecedented success, he said, was down to three things: "You have got to get design right, quality right and pricing right. They are the three items, you get those things right and consumers will buy the product."
Approximately 250,000 tourists visit Belleek Pottery every year, thereby providing a major boost to the tourism economy locally, something Mr Moore said was a major anchor in gaining prosperity in the western half of the county.
