The Auckland whiteware factory is no longer sustainable.
Fisher & Paykel Appliances is to close its small refrigeration appliances factory in Auckland's East Tamaki, with the loss of 186 jobs, saying the plant did not have the scale or cost-competitiveness to remain open.
Currently operating four days a week, the factory is likely to close in two stages,
in July and November.
Closure was first indicated in 2007 and the decision was not a reflection on the staff's performance, said managing director Stuart Broadhurst.
"The business has enormous respect for this team - past and present. Until now the factory's staff have staved off the inevitable. However, the harsh reality is this factory is no longer sustainable due to the lack of scale and cost-competitiveness the facility and its products face in today's global whiteware marketplace," he said.
"This factory would have closed much earlier, rather than experience a series of downsizings over recent years, if not for the loyalty and commitment of this team."
