LTI in Trouble Again

Coventry black cab maker LTI urged to come clean on firm's future


POLITICIANS are calling on Coventry’s black cab maker to come clean on moves which could end decades of manufacturing in the city.

It follows Tuesday’s mass walkout by staff at LTI in Holyhead Road who were furious to discover the factory’s main machinery had been put up for sale on the internet.

As we revealed yesterday, unions representing 130 staff accused the company of leaving them in the dark and “playing games”
Options being discussed as part of an on-going consultation to reverse multi-million pound losses and a slump in orders include shedding half the workforce, and outsourcing manufacturing of the chassis and body, possibly to China which already builds the famous black cabs for LTI's Asian market.

Unions fear complete closure, or Coventry becoming a much smaller plant assembling imported parts.

LTI managing director Peter Shillcock said West Bromwich-based Fulltex Press Sales had “jumped the gun” without the firm’s authority by advertising LTI’s presses.

He said LTI had discussed with Fulltex the potential sale to test the market if the consultation, already four months old, concludes manufacturing will be lost.

Coventry North West Labour MP Geoffrey Robinson, a former Jaguar chairman, said: ‘‘It’s time now to be open with the workforce, and cut out the pretence. This isn’t the way to carry on.”