Dux Lower Hutt factory jobs go down the drainpipe

Lower Hutt plumbing supplies manufacturer Dux Industries is to wind down at Wingate with the loss of 50 jobs.

Managing director Ron Mitchell said yesterday that production would be wound down progressively by the end of next year.

Fifty manufacturing jobs would go, though another 50 staff, mostly in sales and marketing, would be kept on.

The company makes plastic cisterns, toilet seats, gully traps and pipe fittings.

Mr Mitchell said an increasing proportion of company products were being imported and the move was needed to remain competitive.

Mr Mitchell, who has worked for the company for 35 years, said it was "dreadfully sad to see manufacturing coming to an end, but it's a business and it will go forward."

After 20 years of fitting flush buttons to toilet cisterns, Karen Cudd said she had a little cry when she heard she will be made redundant in the next year or so.

But she's not too worried. "It's sad, but a lot of us are getting used to the idea, we've known for some time."

Another worker, Tavita Angkehe, was also relaxed about his prospects, though he too is unsure when he will be finishing up.

"It'll be alright getting another job, but we'll see what happens."

The 43-year-old Tongan, a father of three, said he had worked at Dux for six years - "it was a good job and they are very kind people."

Workers' delegate John Bevan said staff had been kept posted on the company's plans and most were resigned to it. "Everything's being sent overseas.

"This is happening to everybody. You only have to look in the papers and see what's happening to Fisher & Paykel and all those places."

Mr Bevan, who has worked at the plant since 2000, said the company would now mainly be a distribution centre, with most of the product coming from Malaysia.

Dux Industries was established in Lower Hutt in 1936 and remained a privately owned company till it was taken over by the French Aliaxis Group two years ago.

The Dux announcement follows other major redundancies in the Hutt Valley.

The Upper Hutt South Pacific Tyres plant closed earlier this year with the loss of 450 jobs and last year Lower Hutt-based Southward Engineering laid off 170 staff.