Irwin announces 100+ jobs to go

Irwin Industrial Tools in Wellsford will slash its workforce by 65 percent by the first week in April.

The decision will put 105 of its 162 employees out of work.

In a short media statement, the company reiterated that the decision was due to a challenging economy and other business factors, which had lead to the closure of the manufacture of uncompetitive product lines in Wellsford.

“The decision has been a difficult one to make, and in no way reflects on the hard work and dedication of our workforce in NZ,” the statement said. “We will treat all affected employees with dignity and respect throughout this period and are offering them assistance to make this transition as smooth as possible.”

No further information has been forthcoming.

Commenting on the Irwin cutbacks at the opening of the Wellsford community pool, company founder Richard Izard said he felt like part of his life was going down the drain.

“To see my old company go is a terrible thing,” he said. “Naturally, I am very concerned about the job losses and the impact this will have on the town. However, Wellsford is quite capable of rising to the challenge and believe me, if I can find anything that helps the situation, I will do it.”

The Izards have relocated to Taupo to be nearer to family.
“My wife Patience and I have spent 30 years here – the longest that we’ve lived anywhere – and I’m not about to forget the people here. We have really appreciated the community’s kindness.”

Irwins opened in 1980 under the name Izards, when it was owned by Mr Izard. He ran the plant until 1994 when it was purchased by the US-based company Irwins. In its heyday, Izards employed 525 people, supplied 40 percent of the world’s saw-blade market, and operated plants in Taiwan, Canada and England.

Other perspectives


Rodney Councillor Grahame Powell: There’s no question that the loss of so many jobs will have a major impact on Wellsford, but it remains to be seen just how this will play out. I have heard of one staff member who has already left the district. I’m only sorry that Council was unable, because of Transit/NZ Transport regulations, to get the Corry Block developed. Had it gone ahead several years ago as we had hoped, Wellsford may have had other industries capable of lessening the economic blow. As it is, we have a very narrow commercial/industrial base, which means that a decision like this by Irwin could be devastating.

Coast to Coast Health Care, Dr Tim Malloy: Non-health related events such as the Irwin cutbacks have a significant impact on the health of the community. This is something we shouldn’t under-estimate, although it may be some time before the full flow-on effect is felt. This is not a new situation for Wellsford. I have been here for 22 years and in that time, we have seen employment highs and lows, and there is no doubt that wind-downs in industry have health consequences. Poverty is already a factor in the area and this is exaggerated by unemployment. It can manifest itself in many ways, from a decline in the general health status of the community to poor nutrition and an increase in psychological and mental issues. There are no simple answers. Coast to Coast is already a very low cost access practice and we run a series of support programme to help where possible. One of our key aims is to diminish the barriers to health care.

Wellsford School principal Dave Bradley:
Core programmes at the school won’t be affected, but it may influence the flexibility we have to offer curriculum “extras”. We haven’t figures on how many school families will be directly affected by the Irwin cutbacks, but regardless, there is going to be a big impact on the town. Last year, less than half the families at the school contributed to the voluntary school fees programme. We had hoped to raise $7000, but actually received just $5000. This year we’ve budgeted to receive $6000 but who knows what’s in store. It is tight running a school on the funds we receive, so the additional money from the school fees helps us invest in things such as teaching resources, sports equipment and Information Technology. It also means we can offer more school trips and take advantage of visiting specialists in learning areas such as science, drama and art. These are the things that will be harder to fund.

Wellsford Promotions chairman Robert Tod: Businesses aren’t happy about the news, of course, but what can you do – there’s no miracle cure. Retail will suffer but it’s a case of trying to make the best of it. Wellsford doesn’t have a lot of other industry that can uptake job losses on this scale. We just have to hope that when economic times improve, Irwin will be able to build the factory back up again. In the meantime, we have a state highway running through the town, which while it may not be ideal, does drag people in which will help some retailers.

Northland MP John Carter: I’m hoping to meet with management soon to find out exactly what the position is. This is a commercial decision and Government can’t intervene politically, and the last thing the people of Wellsford need at the moment is politicians giving them false hopes – it will be hard enough for them without that. The good thing about towns like Wellsford is that they are resilient and it will bounce back, but obviously that doesn’t help with the pain that people will be going through at the moment.