GERMANY: Klaus Steilmann Closes Factory, 65 Jobs To Go
German clothing maker Klaus Steilmann GmbH & Co KG says it is to close its production site in Essen, Germany, and will lay off its 65 employees by the end of February. The news was announced at a meeting on Wednesday and has been prompted by lower production costs in Eastern Europe and the Far East. Managing director Ruediger Knaup said the company is negotiating with trade unions to provide a social plan for those employees who are losing their jobs.