JOBS are to go at one of Bromsgrove's largest employers mainly as a result of its three largest customers demanding cheaper products.

Production staff at the Stoke Prior brush factory L G Harris, which employs 380 people, have received letters calling for voluntary redundancies.

Managing director Andrew Harris uses the letter to spell out the stark realities of being dependent on customers with huge bargaining power.

He said pressure from the market place, especially the big DIY chains B & Q, Focus and Homebase - who account for two thirds of the firm's business - has forced them to source an increasing quantity of goods from China at much lower prices than the UK.

"We have felt we have no alternative but to go along with these requests as if we didn't then it would not be difficult for our customers to source them directly themselves," he said.

Harris's already has its own plant in China but the first consignment of goods has yet to arrive in Britain.

In the letter Mr Harris stresses that this has no bearing on the need for redundancies in Bromsgrove as most of the goods will be from other factories in China.

He said staff cut backs have already started with ten people engaged on piecework set to finish at Easter.

So far ten people have indicated they want to take redundancies. He added it is impossible at this stage to say how many jobs will be axed but the need for compulsory redundancies cannot be ruled out. However, every effort will be made to keep these to a minimum.

Some staff have been absorbed into other areas such as distribution and offices.

Staff taking redundancy can expect the firm to double the statutory amount up to a maximum extra payment of £2,500.

Leslie G Harris established the firm in Stoke Prior in 1937 from where its painting products have been exported throughout the world.

It moved to its present site on Hanbury Road a decade later.