Business
Temporary closure of UK and Ireland trading sites
Temporary closure of UK and Ireland trading sites.
About this update from Sig Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n \n \n RNS Number : 9586H\n SIG PLC\n 30 March 2020\n \n \n \n \n 30 March 2020\n \n \n \n \n \n SIG plc: Temporary closure of UK and Ireland trading sites and further cost saving measures\n \n \n \n \n \n SIG plc (\"SIG\" or the \"Group\"), a leading supplier of specialist building materials to trade customers across Europe, announces the temporary closure of its UK and Ireland trading sites in response to the evolving C-19 situation.\n \n \n \n \n \n UK and Ireland trading sites temporary closure\n \n \n \n \n \n As the Group stated on 26 March 2020, SIG is committed to do what it can to trade as normally as possible within local government guidelines, allied to the need to preserve the safety of colleagues, suppliers and customers. We also stated that the Group would keep this position under daily review in every jurisdiction in which it operates.\n \n \n \n \n \n Since SIG's announcement on 26 March 2020, large parts of our UK market have seen sales fall away rapidly, in common with the broader construction industry. Therefore, we have concluded that it is necessary and appropriate to temporarily close our UK operations - specifically the Distribution and Roofing businesses. In addition, the announcement of further restrictions by the Irish Government on Friday evening has resulted in the suspension of construction activity in the Republic of Ireland. As a result, all Group trading sites in Ireland have also temporarily closed this morning.\n \n \n \n \n \n However, we will remain open to service critical and emergency projects, such as for the NHS, energy and food sectors, as well as for safety reasons and to ensure that there is an orderly closure programme. \n \n \n \n \n \n We will be reviewing Government guidance and measures to support business continuity, as well as market conditions, continuously and will re-open as soon as we can.\n \n \n \n \n \n Further cost saving measures\n \n \n \n \n \n We have committed to support all our colleagues during this period of temporary closure. We will ensure that our UK colleagues continue to receive a proportion of their pay during a period of furlough and, in that context, we welcome the introduction of the UK Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which will help to support this. Similar Government assi...