Economic downturn hits as company winds up and voluntary redundancies sought

The economic downturn has hit Athlone as one company last week received a court order to wind up and appoint a liquidator and a second company has offered employees voluntary redundancy. Watkins Brothers Ltd which operates the Athlone Glass premises on Clonown Road has gone into liquidation after last week receiving a court order to wind up the company. And while this company has gone into liquidation, Utah Medical Products, located at Athlone Business and Technology Park, has offered voluntary redundancy to staff in its production department. Plant Manager Kevin Killian said: 'We are like a lot of other companies in that our sales were softer in 2008 due to the economic conditions and we are looking at our options if this is to continue into 2009. As we are in the planning stages for 2009 we have requested that employees from our production department that may be interested in voluntary redundancy to come forward.' 'We have taken no action yet and the company remains strong and viable,' he added. Utah Medical"s Athlone facility processes medical disposables and electro-medical equipment. It is the company"s European facility and has been in operation since 1996.