Lec closes doors for the last time

The last product has rolled off the production line of Lec Refrigeration.

The closing act of a 67-year tradition which saw thousands of fridges a day made in the town at one time led to 59 employees losing their jobs.

They walked out of the roles which they filled for up to 40 years for the final time last Friday.They enjoyed a sandwiches and soft drink lunch before their departure.

Their goodbyes on the site were followed with a party that night at The Hatter's Inn in the town centre where dozens of past and present employees toasted their futures.

Those present were determined to leave Lec behind with smiles on their faces.

A further 23 workers are being kept on at the company's factory in Oldlands Way to clear the premises. They are expected to stay at the site until September when the premises will be returned to their owner, Sime Darby.

Lec production manager Joe Hudson said: "Lec was always one of the biggest employers in this area of the south coast. Anything up to 2,000 people at a time used to work here.

"But, over the last few years, we have always known that the factory has been on a knife edge. Chinese fridges can be made over there and shipped over here cheaper than we can make them.

"So, I don't think the news of the final closure was a total surprise. But when it actually came it was more of a disappointment than anything. People were just sad and disappointed by it."

Chris Marsh, an assembly worker, said: "It's a sorry time for Bognor at the end of the day that Lec has closed. There has always been an association between the town and Lec."

The loss of company to Bognor was regretted by a deputy chairman of the town's chamber of commerce. Paul Wells said: "Lec's closure is sad for the whole town. The factory has employed a huge number of people from Bognor over the years.

"For the future, it's important that whatever goes on the Lec site provides new jobs for people in this area rather than people having to travel elsewhere to work."

The news of Lec's closure was announced in the Observer by the company's owner, Glen Dimplex Home Appliances, last December.

The company has transferred the production of the 30,000 specialist fridges a year which had been made in Bognor since August 2004 to Glen Dimplex's head office and factory at Prescot in Merseyside.

Bognor's relatively expensive property and production costs, compared to the north west, made it uncompetitive. Efforts to improve manufacturing efficiencies and cut fixed costs proved too little. The final fridge was completed at 2pm on April 19. Lec commercial director Mark Abbott said: 'Almost 70 years of investment has gone into making Lec one of the best known refrigeration brands in Britain, which is incredible.

'While one chapter in Lec's history is sadly coming to an end with the closure of the Bognor site, another is beginning.

'With high production and property costs making it unfeasible for the commercial business to remain in Bognor, the move to Prescot will allow us to continue to invest in both the domestic and commercial sides of Lec's business and fulfil the true potential of the brand in years to come.'

General manager Oliver Keegan spoke about his regrets that it was not possible to continue to manufacture in Bognor.

He paid tribute to the reaction of the employees who as they worked towards their redundancies.

'This is one of the finest teams of people I have worked with. Their level of professionalism, their co-operation and their level of assistance has been second to none,' he stated.

'Of course, we must not forget the huge contribution made by all those who have worked at Lec over the past 67 years and built the brand to the household name it is today.'