A manufacturing plant in Manukau operated by bio-technology engineering company Flotech is closing with the loss of 70 jobs, the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union (EPMU) says.
The workers are well-paid trades people who mostly make pipes, EPMU assistant director of organising Strachan Crang says.
The union is reiterating a call for the Government to improve support for manufacturers after Summit Wool Spinners in Oamaru and Norman Ellison Carpets in Onehunga also closed manufacturing facilities.
"This is the third major factory closure in as many weeks. It's time the Government realised that its hands-off approach isn't working," Mr Crang said.
"It's a sad fact that a lot of Kiwis are starting to see their future in Australia because there simply aren't enough skilled, highly paid jobs to keep people here," he said.
Flotech is a pioneer of technology that extracts biogas from waste.
Mr Crang said Flotech was the type of company the Government had put up on a pedestal.
The union says Flotech is keeping design work in New Zealand.
NZN