Poor handling of Morris closure

Faceless overseas investors are very much in the news at the moment following the takeover of Notts County, the world's oldest league club.

It seems most County fans, whatever concerns they may have, are prepared to give these unknowns the benefit of the doubt because of the cash they are putting into the club.

However, the announcement yesterday of the closure of one of Leicestershire's oldest manufacturers by its Finnish owners certainly did nothing to belie the uncaring and distant stereotype often associated with overseas business owners.

The 90 workers at 125-year-old Loughborough crane maker Morris Material Handling had been prepared for the worse after plans were revealed in the summer by Konecranes to merge the business with two sister firms.

A statement put on Konecranes' website at 12.40pm yesterday headlined 'Konecranes streamlines its business in the UK' announced the plant's closure and that crane production was being transferred to East Kilbride in Scotland. However, management at the site did not formally talk to staff face-to-face about it, leaving them fuming. And understandably so.

When I rang the factory I was told managing director Steve Davis was not available. Instead, I was put through to Bill Oliver, the sales and technical director, who declined to comment and referred me to the Konecranes statement and the group's Finland-based press office.

Yes, we all must accept the realities of the global economy. But it's a poor show when the management of a world-renowned company cannot comment on its sad demise and instead refers you someone in another country.

The announcement, of course, is a major blow to the town and overshadows the rescue late last week of that other historic Loughborough business, the 225-year-old Taylors Eayre & Smith bell foundry, following its collapse into administration.