CREDIT checking business Experian has announced it is to close its three contact centres at Widnes, Preston and Bolton with up to 160 job losses in Halton between now and 2006.
The company, part of the GUS group with offices on Royal Avenue, Widnes, looks likely to shed a total of 850 jobs across the North West between the three 'contact centres'.
Experian said it was to introduce the closures in phases over the period to allow customers time to find companies to take on their work and minimise effect on employees.
The company this week announced that the contact centre business is closing because of competition from foreign operators which means the business would be uncompetitive in years to come.
Keith Valentine, of Experian, said: 'We have carried out a thorough review of our contact centre business and reluctantly concluded it is not economically viable in the long-term.
'We have entered into a consultation period with everyone affected and are negotiating the phased closure of the three centres.'
The Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) held the first of a series of planned talks with the company on Wednesday with a view to finding out the precise reasoning behind the company's move.
Val Pugh, national USDAW officer, said: 'This is devastating news. The announcement has come out of the blue. Our emphasis will be on protecting as many jobs as possible.'
