Page 7 - Gi flipbook April 2018

Brexit blamed by Landis+Gyr in Stockport

Stockport smart

meter firm intending

to axe 288 staff

A COMPANY THAT makes redundancies is expected to
smart meters for British finish by the end of April.
Gas is planning to shed 288 Landis+Gyr wants to
of 601 jobs at its factory make 266 manual roles,
in Greater Manchester 19 technical posts, two
because of Brexit, reports managerial roles and of UK wages, he said. would “examine means of
the BBC. one professional post “The decision to move optimising the production
Landis+Gyr told the redundant. manufacturing abroad is costs” of its UK smart
GMB union it could move GMB Organiser Shaun catastrophic news for GMB meters.
production from Stockport Buckley said the Swiss members at Landis+Gyr and A spokeswoman said: “We
to Romania and Asia company had cited a 20 per their families in Stockport,” place great value on our
because costs have risen cent increase in production said Mr Buckley. staff and are committed to
20 per cent since the costs, in part due to the “GMB will be working conducting the consultation
referendum in 2016. weak performance of tirelessly to secure the process in an open and
The union said it was “an sterling against the euro. best possible deal for collaborative fashion.”
example of the pressures Moving production to affected members during A consultation on
companies are facing due to Romania and Asia would consultation.” redundancies at its factory
Brexit uncertainty”. also mean Landis+Gyr Landis+Gyr said the in Peterborough is also
A consultation on could offer workers a fifth consultation process under way. ■

Cadent launches ground-breaking hydrogen which could be

used by gas customers
HyDeploy hydrogen trial safely without making any
changes to their behaviour
or domestic appliances.
The UK is committed to
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND potential for reducing six million tonnes a year by reducing its CO2 emissions
energy trial launched in carbon dioxide (CO ) using more hydrogen by 80 per cent by 2050
2
the UK will explore the emissions by as much as to heat homes. from a 1990 baseline, but
The HyDeploy project, while progress has been
which aims to blend up to made to decarbonise the
20 per cent hydrogen into electricity system, very
the normal gas supply, is little has been done to
being led by gas network decarbonise heat, argued
Cadent in partnership with David Parkin, Director
Northern Gas Networks. of Safety and Network
Hydrogen does not Strategy at Cadent.
produce any CO2 when Cadent hopes the
burned, just water and project will spur a wider
heat. If hydrogen were roll-out, though it is
blended with natural gas unlikely that would occur
across the UK at a similar until the mid-2020s.
level to HyDeploy, it “We’re very focused
could prevent the at Cadent on a future
equivalent CO2 emissions hydrogen economy across
of 2.5 million cars. the UK. This project is
The one-year live trial a stepping stone to a
will be held at Keele fundamentally changing
The trial will establish the University on its private energy landscape over
potential for blending hydrogen gas network and will the next few decades,”
determine the level of Mr Parkin said. ■

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News.indd 2 15/03/2018 14:23