Explorer well-placed for recovery surge

Dec 2 2008 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

CARAVAN company The Explorer Group says it is well-placed to surge ahead once consumers regain confidence.

The Consett company has had a tough year which has led to job cuts and a reduction in the working week to three-and-a-half days, but now believes it is well poised to expand when its market recovers.

Commercial director Chris Whitham said: “As soon as confidence returns to the market, discretionary purchases on products like ours will be one of the first things to come back.

“We were pilloried for making cutbacks, but they have made us leaner and meaner and we believe we are well-placed to take full advantage when the recovery begins.”

Mr Whitham said the company employs 335, with 85 people leaving the company in the last 12 months. He denied claims from the GMB union made earlier this week that 120 staff had lost their jobs at the firm.

There have been 48 compulsory redundancies, 25 voluntary redundancies and 12 people have left the company through natural wastage, without being replaced, said Mr Whitham.