Unite is hosting the emergency rally on Friday June 28 at St Mark’s Church, Portadown at 12.30pm after Glen Dimplex raised the prospect of shutting down its factory with potential loss of up to 300 Portadown-based jobs. Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to NorthernIrelandWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you.
The Glen Dimplex plant, which is on the Lurgan Road, has been employing people in the Portadown area for more than 50 years and was previously known as Unidare. Advertisement Advertisement In February the firm said it plans to invest €25 million in its Newry site, which will be repurposed into a centre of excellence for the manufacture of zero carbon, renewable heating solutions including heat pumps. However the panel and storage heating manufacturing may be transferring from the group’s sites in Newry and Portadown to a manufacturing site in Lithuania .
It is understood the firm plans to close the Portadown plant by December 2025. A Unite spokesperson said: “The rally is being held in direct response to 300 workers at Glen Dimplex facing a threat to their livelihoods after management raised the prospect of shutting the Portadown factory with production shifting overseas to Lithuania. The union has invited all candidates in the general election to attend and address workers and the local community at Friday’s rally.
A spokesperson said: “Unite is seeking answers from candidates on what they will do to defend the jobs .
