Joy as workers at Burnley firm return to five-day week

The company moved to a temporary three-day week due to the impact of the Japanese crisis, but now the business has returned to full capacity and is looking forward to a bright future.

HR manager Brian Barker said: “The temporary slow down in production was purely due to the impact of the earthquake in Japan, and the parts our customer needed weren’t coming through.

“It was a very short-lived supply issue, but we are now operating at full volume, the demand for cars is still there and we are confident about the future.

“We had to let 20 valued temporary workers go during this period, but all of these have been re-employed – with the exception of one who was a recent lottery winner.”

Assistant managing director Kevin Schofield added: “While staff were working the three-day week we used the spare time for staff training and development, and improving our facility.

“We are committed to investing in Burnley and in the future of the company to develop as a business, and to strengthen our profile as a committed Burnley company.

“In partnership with other Burnley businesses, we are working together to look at ways we can boost the local economy.”

The company, which was established in its current form in 2000, is dedicated to supporting its employees and the local community.

Futaba-Tenneco has recently embarked on a canal clean-up project on the stretch of canal, alongside its Liverpool Road site, and the business is an active supporter and trustee of the charity Furniture for Education Worldwide.

Furniture from all the old secondary schools in Burnley that have recently been demolished under the Building Schools for the Future programme was collected and shipped out to schools in developing countries, including Ghana, Egypt and Pakistan.

Burnley Borough Council leader Coun. Charlie Briggs said: “Futaba-Tenneco’s return to operating at full capacity is great news.

“The council’s Economic Regeneration and Business Support team has been working with FTUK to assist it in developing the business.”