Report - Ferodo Caernarfon January 2020

[grindle]

Ferodo was a major employer on the edge of Caernarfon, Gwynedd in North Wales,
manufacturing brake parts for the motoring industry

At one point it employed aound 1000 workers but the workforce reduced over the years because of foreign outsourcing of car parts. The TGWU worked harmoniously with Ferodo, even during the turbulence of the 1970s.

An American, Craig Smith, bought the factory in 1997 (renamed Friction Dynamics Ltd) and made changes to working conditions to make the company more competitive in the global market.
The TGWU negotiated on behalf of the workforce, but talks stalled and industrial action began in April 2001. After the May Day Bank Holiday, factory workers returned to find they were locked out. Smith dismissed 86 workers who had taken lawful industrial action. A picket line was set up at the entrance to Griffiths Crossing, and lasted almost three years.
The eighty six workers later won their wrongful dismissal claim at an employment tribunal in 2003, but never received compensation - Friction Dynamics had gone into administration in August 2003, and a new company, Dynamex Friction, began production on the site two weeks later. The factory closed completely in 2008

 

[HughieD]

That's an absolute corker mate...

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Some nice little bits in there Iv never seen before thanks for sharing

 

[The Explorer Returns]

Really enjoyed reading that, nice one

 

[MrDevla]

That place never looks any different, I visited about 5 years ago and my photos are very similar to yours. There was talk a few years back if knocking it down and building a jail in it’s place which seem to have been dismissed, it’s also nice to see the little yellow truck hasn’t moved

 

[grindle]

That place never looks any different, I visited about 5 years ago and my photos are very similar to yours. There was talk a few years back if knocking it down and building a jail in it’s place which seem to have been dismissed, it’s also nice to see the little yellow truck hasn’t moved

Recent press release now suggests the building of a leisure complex incorporating nearby Plas Brereton ( no longer abandoned undergoing a refurb)

 

[mockney reject]

I like that

 

[Calamity Jane]

Really nice mate. So nice bits of signage there

 

[efiste2]

I sometimes work nearby, and often have a wander around, later last yer it was being used as a flytipping area, but all very neatly piled........And the mobile crane has dissappeared.

 

[trikey]

Where's the pic of the safe? Everyone gets a pic of the safe

 

[monk]

No visits from the boys in Black Range Rovers?
They get a bit upset if they see people on site now.

 

[efiste2]

We got a visit from two guys in a black range rover, whilst we were is the Substation, one claimed he was the site owner, the other looked like his minder. The supposed owner claimed to know all about the workings of the Substation (which he clearly didnt) but he did say that its on his land so wants to charge rent.......very shady characters.

 

[Saltburndan1971]

I sometimes work nearby, and often have a wander around, later last yer it was being used as a flytipping area, but all very neatly piled........And the mobile crane has dissappeared.

This is what the fly tipping looked like yesterday..