Former Rover executive Kevin Morley has stepped in to rescue a UK government-backed car parts business threatened with closure when funding was pulled.
Morley has taken over the three former Remploy factories in Northern Ireland, securing the the jobs of more than 200 workers, most of whom have disabilities.
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The factories make components for carmakers including Tata Motors’ Jaguar Land Rover and Ford.
Most Remploy factories closed after the government decided to switch spending to help individuals find jobs rather than subsidising factories, setting up a mult-imillion pound package of employment support for those affected. The new business will be renamed Rempower and will be chaired by Morley.
He told the Press Association: “The most important thing is that this will benefit disabled people. If we can take out a piece of machinery and replace it with three disabled workers, we will. In a way we are turning the normal order of business on its head.”
The company said it would launch an apprenticeship scheme as part of its growth plans for the factories.
