PDL electronics to close Napier plant

About 70 staff at Napier's PDL Electronics will lose their jobs when the plant closes, parent company Schneider Toshiba Inverter announced today.

PDL Electronics president Jacky Pillais said higher shipping costs and the development of new technology were behind the decision.

"I realise this is a stressful time for staff and we are working closely with them to help as many as possible find new jobs. We hope to retain around 20 staff within the Schneider Group, either in New Zealand or further a field," he said.

Schneider Toshiba Inverter chairman Elie Belbel said the Napier plant was too far from the main markets in North America, Asia and Europe to be competitive.

"This is a strategic decision based on the comparative advantages of the various Schneider Toshiba Inverter plants," he said.

The closure and layoffs would be gradual, concluding next March.

- NZPA