Hardinge Machine Tools/Bridgeport and Jones and Shipman to share premises

The three currently operate from premises in Whetstone and Murrayfield Road in Leicester and are planning to move the majority of the businesses into the current Jones and Shipman building in Murrayfield Road. In addition, a second facility closer to the Murrayfield Road site is planned with, in total, some 50 personnel re-locating from the Hardinge Machine Tools' Whetstone site. The businesses will continue to operate as two independent companies. "Against a scenario of improved fortunes in manufacturing output, all three of these flagship brands are enjoying healthy sales performance, dating from the last quarter of 2010 and onwards into 2011," explained John McTernan, managing director, European sales and marketing for the Hardinge Group (pictured). "That said, we continue to look to optimise the business and there are a number of real efficiencies and productivity gains that can be made by pooling the resources under one roof. I would stress we are not anticipating any changes to numbers of personnel employed as a result of this consolidation; on the contrary, we are recruiting," he underlined. "We will be consulting with the workforces on both sites to ensure we use the consolidated facilities to best effect and decide who or what will be housed in the new satellite unit," concluded Mr McTernan.