More than a dozen people are set to lose their jobs at Baildon-based lighting manufacturer SLI Lighting Ltd.

The firm, which employs 450 people, has announced it is cutting two of its weekend shifts.

Human resources manager Paul Mann said: "We're redeploying people and have given everyone the opportunity to transfer to weekday shifts but because of their personal circumstances a number won't be able to do that.''

He said the firm, which makes compact fluorescent lamps and relies on exports for about 90 per cent of its business, was still talking to those affected so did not yet know what that number would be but added that it was expected to be about 14. Requests for voluntary redundancy would be considered, he said.

The shifts were introduced just over a year ago to meet expected additional demand for SLI's products in the US.

Mr Mann said sales had gone up in America ''but not enough to justify running these two shifts''.

He added: "Over the last 18 months we've more or less doubled in size and gone from 250 to 450 employees. We introduced the shifts to cope with a higher level of business in the US than we actually got so we have had to make this adjustment.

"Obviously we're not happy about the situation but business is still very sound and is probably healthier now than it was 18 months ago.''

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