Dozens of jobs to go at Christchurch company

The future of more than 90 staff at Christchurch fabric manufacturer and exporter Gale Pacific is in jeopardy following a decision to close its operation there.

The company today said it needed to be closer to its growing northern hemisphere markets and would stop manufacturing here.

"Gale's wholly owned manufacturing facility in China provides that opportunity," said New Zealand managing director Craig McCallum.

Mr McCallum said the company had liaised with the union representing its staff but no satisfactory alternatives could be found.

He said the Christchurch base would continue to be a full service stockist distributor and the decision would not affect customers.

The company's China plant has been supplying outdoor textile fabrics to all of Gale's other regional markets for the past two years.

The transition is likely to be completed before the end of the year.

- NZPA