Simclar run a worldwide electronics manufacturing business and up to 240 jobs are to be lost at the Simclar electronics manufacturing plant in Irvine. That is almost half of the workers at the plant. The cuts at the Ayrshire operation follow the firm's decision to withdraw from hard-tooling manufacturing.

"The company has made all efforts possible to keep the operation viable, but the recent loss of a key contract, rising cost of production and relentless market pressures has made continuing with hard-tooling unsustainable", a company spokesman commented.