LAST DITCH BID FOR TOWN

14:00 - 10 May 2003 Two years ago Gorseinon suffered a massive blow when the Corus Bryngwyn works shut, throwing 127 workers out of well-paid jobs. A £4 million regeneration package was quickly put together to save the town from dying. Has it worked? Welsh affairs correspondent SUSAN BAILEY has been finding out.

IT must have seemed like the end of the road for many Gorseinon families two years ago, when Corus closed its Bryngwyn works and axed 127 jobs. The town was still reeling from the news that car component firm Valeo was also closing, with the loss of 330 jobs. Longstanding 3Ms had also downsized its workforce.

For a close-knit community heavily dependent on manufacturing jobs, the outlook certainly appeared gloomy. The Assembly's response to the crisis was a £4 million regeneration fund to try to attract and grow new companies and spruce up Gorseinon's image. Two years on, the question is - has it helped? Beth Winkley is the Gorseinon Regeneration Trust co-ordinator and she firmly believes the town is at last turning the corner. "When Corus closed a number of the staff transferred to other plants like Trostre, and many Valeo staff went to Pure Wafer," she said. "Most of the workers found other jobs, although it has to be said they may not always be as well paid. "We estimated that from the redundancies two years ago, there are only 17 people remaining out of work."

But the big news this week is that Gorseinon has attracted a London Docklands manufacturer, which is relocating its entire production facility and bringing in 40 skilled jobs. Comyn Ching Solray is the UK's leading brand of radiant heating panels. Work started on Thursday to build a new state-of-the-art 28,000 square feet factory on a three acre site at Garngoch industrial estate. Out of the £4 million, £2.5 million is being spent on attracting new jobs, largely by offering financial help to potential employers to set up. "Getting Solray here was wonderful," said Ms Winkley. "Building on the trust's successes in improving the town's commercial centre, the arrival of a major manufacturing company is very welcome."

Supporting businesses and creating employment to ensure a strong and sustainable economic base were the trust's key objectives, she added. Money has also been spent building four neighbouring industrial units. Fforest Timber, which employs 33 people, has outgrown is current premises and is moving into one of them. Gavin Electrical, which also wants more space, is moving from Pontarddulais. It employs 14 staff, but wants to take on another 10.

Two other companies are in talks over taking over the other new units, and around 50 new jobs are expected as a result. "Gorseinon is turning the corner," said Ms Winkley. "We have seen a huge difference in the town centre with trust money spent on shop fronts and other work. "We carried out clearance work on the common near the entrance to the town from Penllergaer and it has really opened things up." £500,000 has also been set aside for landscaping, which will begin shortly.

The work will include replacing mismatched street furniture and litter bins. with smart, new ones. "The 40 skilled new jobs Solray will bring will mean people working in Gorseinon with money to spend, and that has to be a good thing for local businesses," she said. "Gorseinon's commercial centre is becoming quite vibrant." The trust's vice chairman, Councillor Glyn Seabourne, said: "These are quality manufacturing jobs, and Solray has moved here knowing it has plenty of room for expansion. "It is a very well established company, and exactly the kind we want in Gorseinon.

"Not only will it bring 40 new jobs, but will interact with other local businesses and that is good for the economy as a whole." Swansea Council's cabinet member for development, Byron Owen, said: "It's great to see London-based companies relocating to Swansea, and our highly skilled workforce which is ready and waiting has to be a huge plus. "I hope this will just be the start and other companies will see the sense of moving here. "We have the skills, overheads are much lower and we have excellent transport links. "I would like to see what has happened in Gorseinon replicated in other parts of the city.", with more firms coming in with skilled jobs."

Welsh Development Agency director Ron Slater said the investment was a red letter day for Gorseinon. "Solray's investment is a string mark of confidence in the local workforce." Gower AM and Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart said: "We boast a first class workforce and I am sure the company's confidence in relocating to the area will be fully rewarded by continuing success and future growth."