| Following a trend seen throughout the building industry, the firm said it was “very reluctantly” cutting its workforce due to the sharp downturn in orders caused by global economic conditions.
Sidey employs almost 300 people from its Perth base in Feus Road, where it has a showroom and manufacturing plant. The newbuild division produces and installs windows specifically for new housing.
Managing Director, Charles Arbuthnott said today, “Sidey has grown continuously throughout the last 17 years.
“In this period the company’s employment has expanded from 20 at the outset to nearly 300 today, with turnover now in excess of £30million a year.
“Sidey’s business is well diversified, but 20% of our activity is in the supply of windows to the newbuild sector in Scotland.
“It is in this sector only that Sidey has seen a sharp downturn in work, caused by the credit crunch, a factor completely outwith our control, and this has had an impact on the workloads in Sidey’s factories.
“Because Sidey’s Board of Directors have taken the view that the recovery of this market will be slow, they have been forced — very reluctantly indeed — to cut 18 jobs in their newbuild business.”
He added that the rest of the business is faring much better.
“All other parts of Sidey’s business remain strong and turnover is expected to grow by 14% during the forthcoming year, despite the downturn in the Newbuild sector,” he said.
Sidey is one of the Fair City’s biggest success stories of recent years.
It has grown from a small firm established 70 years ago to one that has set up showrooms across Tayside and has become the largest trader in uPVC windows and doors in Scotland. |
