Nylon Knitting in Qormi will be cutting its production line to a four-day week in January due to a slowdown in orders and a drop in turnover, Times of Malta has learnt.

The manufacturing firm is hoping the reduced week will be a short-term measure until orders pick up.

We do not want to reduce workers

Business unit manager Pier Luigi Di Pilato told this newspaper yesterday that managers chose to reduce production days rather than lay off staff, saying this would be the quickest way to revert back to normal.

He said the company – which produces nylon yarns and fabrics and has been operating in Malta since 1963 – was left with no other choice.

“We had a slowdown but hope it will pick up soon,” he said.

Although the 285-strong workforce has not yet been informed, the management yesterday started talks with the General Workers’ Union, which represents the employees.

Mr Di Pilato said the firm’s €55 million turnover last year had fallen 25 per cent to an estimated €42 million this year.

The slowdown in orders made matters worse, with the company expecting “a poor end to the year and a poor start to the new year”.

Orders were expected to pick up in the second quarter of 2014 so the four-day week would last between three and six months.

“We expect orders to come back so we do not want to reduce the number of workers because it would be easier to revert once orders come in,” he said.

Mr Di Pilato said the company had yesterday informed the Director of Employment and Industrial relations of its intentions.

Paul Bugeja of the GWU said: “We are seeing what other measures can be introduced without reducing the production line.”

The union and company management will hold a staff meeting on Tuesday, when they are expected to be told the latest developments.