Lothian Formula One plant gets back on track

AN engineering plant that makes parts for Formula One racing cars looks set to remain open, saving half the workforce's jobs.

Around 60 jobs are expected to stay at the threatened Mahle Engine System's site in Whitehill Industrial Estate in Blackburn, following a turnaround by bosses.

The former Glacier Vandervell plant on Inchmuir Road, which manufactures bearings and bushings for combustion engines, has operated with a skeleton staff in recent years.

The company announced in April that it was planning to close its West Lothian plant, with the loss of 120 jobs, and move some of the work to its factory in Kilmarnock.

But West Lothian MSP Michael Connarty said a deal has been struck to keep the department that makes the specialist F1 parts in the county.

He said: "Moving the F1 department and its skilled workers would have created instability with the company's clients, and the plan of sub-dividing the plant is very much on, barring a couple of small complications.

"A separate unit that makes the F1 parts, which would be about the size of a third of the factory, will remain, while the rest will hopefully be sold on to another tenant."

The company was unavailable to comment.