Keltbray to make 300 redundant

Leading specialist contractor Keltbray is the latest firm to reveal a round of job losses in response to the decline in construction output as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keltbray plans to lose 300 jobs has started consultation which will result in a reduction jobs going in its support functions and Built Environment Division in particular. There will be no impact in its Infrastructure Division, which continues to operate at near normal, pre-crisis levels.

At the start of the crisis Keltbray furloughed one third of its workforce and cut salaries.  However, the ongoing impact of the crisis on the wider economy and a workload uncertainty, particularly in London, means the firm needs to go further to emerge stronger for the future.

Keltbray’s chief executive, Darren James, said in a statement: “The effects of the Covid19 pandemic continue to change our way of life in ways that were unforeseen only three months ago.

“In taking this difficult action, we will match the size of our cost base to our predicted work volumes in our traditional building sectors, particularly in London.

“By ensuring we run our business in a lean and efficient way, incorporating productivity gains developed through our response to the pandemic, including the widespread adoption of mobile working, we will continue to provide high quality, high value services to our clients, and maintain our financial resilience to deliver our growth strategy as the markets recover.”