ONE of Inverclyde's oldest firms has confirmed there will be job losses at their local site.

Blairs Windows and Doors, based in Greenock, placed most of their staff on furlough during the coronavirus outbreak.

Now bosses say they have been forced to make 14 redundancies.

It is the second big blow to local employment in quick succession, after Clydeport moved to lay off a similar number of staff at Greenock Ocean Terminal.

Blairs managing director Alex Gray says that the company had no option but to act to save the business as they try to come out of the crisis intact.

But staff say they have been left devastated by the decision and that it came as a bombshell.

One worker, who did not want to be named, said: "We were brought into a meeting and told that there would be job losses.

"We had no idea - we thought our jobs were safe.

"It came out of the blue.

"I don't understand why they are acting now, with furlough still in place.

"It is a real blow and will have a huge impact."

Blairs, which has a 160-strong workforce across the country, is looking at 30 job losses in total.

About 14 of them will be in Greenock, where there are around 60 employees at the Baker Street HQ.

Managing director Mr Gray added: "It was the last thing in the world we wanted to do.

"We are all about saving jobs.

"That is why we took over the firm when it went into administration.

"But we have to take precautions to protect the business going forward.

"We are facing a huge downturn and we have to act as soon as we can.

"We can't wait for it to hit us.

"We hope things can pick up and there will be no more to come.

"This was shaping up to be our best year yet - we had new orders and looking to take on more staff."

The managing director also pointed the finger at a dispute they have had over refusals to supply units that are non-compliant with Construction Product Regulations (CPR) and which he says has resulted in the loss of orders.

Blairs Windows and Doors has had a presence in the town for 100 years.

Nine years ago it was taken over by Arranglen, the investment firm owned by local businessmen Sandy and James Easdale.