Bathroom fittings supplier Qualceram is to shut its factory in Stoke-on-Trent in Britian with the loss of 220 jobs.
The company blamed high operating costs and "relative inflexibility" of production for the decision to close. The company expects the 220 redundancies to be completed by late summer.
The company will continue to operate as distribution centre and showroom from the factory site.
Qualceram's chief executive John O'Loughlin said although the job cuts were "regrettable", it is vital that the group is well positioned to respond to increasing international competition.
