FIRST Minister Nicola Sturgeon has vowed to “do everything she can” to help struggling Irvine companies hit by redundancies.

The SNP leader was visiting Ardagh Glass in Irvine on Friday and said her government were committed to the area’s economic recovery.

Just last week it was revealed that another Irvine-based employer, Howco would be axing 31 employees just months after 19 people were already made redundant. The First Minister admitted the redundancies were a terrible blow for the area but promised the SNP would “do everything they can” to support the company and those affected.

She said: “These are difficult times for anyone who works for a company facing job losses. The Scottish Government will do everything we can to liaise with and work with these companies. We have seen over the past couple of years, recovery in the economy. We have here in Scotland, higher employment levels than anywhere else in the UK so there are strong signs of economic recovery.”

The First Minister was visiting the facility to officially open the new £15million fired flint furnace.

Irvine Times:

During her visit Ms Sturgeon enjoyed a tour of the 95-year-old plant and was fascinated to learn how much goes into the glass production.

She said: “Seeing how the glass is made is really a very complex and highly skilled operation. It’s really quite impressive and to know that it is here in a town like Irvine makes it more important that this kind of investment is made. This £15million facility and furnace will safeguard the jobs of many people for years to come and hopefully the next time more investment is made there will be another First Minister from Irvine standing here and he or she will be saying the same thing.”

Ms Sturgeon said as “an Irvine girl” she understood completely, the importance of the Ardagh Glass plant, which supplies more than 300 million glass bottles to the drinks industry across the globe, in terms of its impact on the local economy as well as “putting Irvine on the map”.

She said: “I grew up in Irvine so this has always been a huge facility and contributor in the local economy. When I was growing up I knew a lot of people who worked here - at the time it was called Rockware - and I know that now some of them still do and some of their children have come to work here, such is its importance and standing in this community.

"Communities like Irvine over the years have gone through some difficult times with some industries closing down, or moving away and so on so to have this facility just keep going from strength to strength is hugely important. This plant is making glass for instantly recognisable brands which are then shipped all over the world. It’s really putting Irvine on the map.”

Graeme Shepherd, Ardagh Glass' operations director, said: “I am delighted to welcome the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.It is particularly appropriate that the First Minister should be with us today, given her close association with Irvine. This £15million investment, which in addition to the furnace, also includes the latest inspection technology and is the first project approved under the Scottish Enterprise Aid for Environment Protection Scheme. It represents the latest chapter in the proud history of the Irvine plant, which began production in 1920 as Portland Glass.”