Schaeffler to close two UK manufacturing facilities

Juergen Ziegler, Schaeffler's regional chief executive, Europe, said: "A global business needs to regularly review market conditions and strive to optimise its footprint across different regions.

"The proposed measures we have taken for the UK reflect this business reality. However, we remain committed to keeping certain activities in the UK, a country that will continue to be important to us.

"Brexit is clearly not the single decisive factor behind our decision-making for the UK market, but the need to plan for various complex scenarios has brought forward the timing."

The Plymouth site primarily produces spindle bearings and machine parts for the firm’s industrial division, while the Llanelli facility serves the automotive sector.