A CARPET manufacturer is moving a section of its production department to Poland and axing 30 jobs.

The redundancies at Cavalier Carpets, Selous Road, Blackburn, come after company bosses took the decision to move the Axminster department in a bid to reduce costs.

According to Cavalier chiefs, the move was prompted by escalating UK labour costs, which they said could be slashed by moving to a town in the south of Poland.

The company's operations director Andrew Pickstone, said staff consultation was currently underway over the proposed cuts and voluntary redundancies would be offered.

Machinery used to produce the Axminster carpets is expected to be shipped out to Poland at the start of next year in a transfer process due to last approximately nine months.

Mr Pickstone said: "The move has been prompted by the low labour costs in Poland.

"We operate in a labour intensive market and we have to seek as lower costs as possible. There are very few Axminster weavers in the UK because of this.

"We have consulted the unions and are now talking to individual people about what happens next.

"We need to show a commitment to our retailers and this allows to do that. It is a positive move because the majority of our staff in Blackburn are on the service and finishing side of the business. Their jobs will not be affected."

Approximately 240 people will still be employed by Cavalier in Blackburn and Mr Pickstone assured them that their jobs were safe.

He added: "There will be no further redundancies following this."

A GMB spokesman was unavailable for comment .

The company was founded in 1972 and serves both domestic and contract customers.