THE fate of dozens of workers at a troubled factory was sealed last night as the company lost its main customer.

Unions said that the Acre Products factory, in Darlington, would shut down earlier than expected.

Initially, Acre bosses wanted to close the Darlington factory by June and continue trading from its head office site in West Yorkshire.

But the television cabinet manufacturer is believed to have called time on the company altogether after the loss of its main customer. Unions said it may cease trading altogether.

No one from Acre would speak to The Northern Echo last night.

About 30 workers have already gone from Darlington in the first wave of redundancies.

And there have been several small-scale voluntary redundancies since. Unions now estimate there are between 20 and 50 workers at the Faverdale factory.

They had been told after Christmas that the factory would continue until June - but now it could be just a matter of weeks before the rest of the workers lose their jobs.

Jackie Woodall, of the GMB Union, said: "What I have heard is that it looks like the company will be ceasing trading, not only here in Darlington, but also in the place in Keighley.

"They say they have lost their main customer, but I think it could be their only customer, and because they have lost their main contract, the company it would seem, will cease trading.

"We have got a meeting next Wednesday, but I think they will continue to fulfil their existing orders and then lay the staff off.

"They have to give 30 days' notice and consult with staff, so it is unlikely to be less than a month, but I think it will definitely be before June that the factory closes for good."

As well as the 30 redundancies last month, the company made 17 redundant last year in an attempt to save costs while it looked at other markets. It employed more than 100 people at the height of its success.

The main blow for the company came last year when it lost a contract with another of its major customers, Panasonic.

The contract is believed to have gone to Malaysia, where labour is cheaper.