One of Tasmania’s biggest employers, The Liberty Bell Bay Manganese Smelter, has been placed into limited operations. The smelter at Bell Bay in Tasmania’s north employs about 250 people. Its owner wants to avoid forced redundancies.
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00:00There's been heightened concern about the future of the smelter here behind me since
00:06the Wyala Steelworks in South Australia, which has the same owner, went into administration
00:12in February. Liberty Bell Bay said this morning it had no choice but to place the Tasmanian
00:17smelter into limited operations.
00:20Liberty Bell Bay produces manganese alloy, which is used to strengthen steel for construction.
00:26The company says last year it lost its main supplier of manganese ore after the mine on
00:32Groot Island off the coast of the Northern Territory was damaged by a cyclone.
00:37It says global price volatility and Donald Trump's tariffs have also affected operations.
00:43Around 250 people work at the Tasmanian smelter.
00:46Liberty Bell Bay says it will try to avoid forced redundancies.
00:51The Tasmanian Premier says he understands about 40 full-time workers will be needed during
00:57a care and maintenance phase.
00:59He says the government is very concerned about the impact on workers.
01:02We'll engage with the local community, the mayor, to ensure that we're all working together
01:09to support the employees, their families and of course the local community.
01:15Liberty Bell Bay says it will continue to work through its ore supply issues.
01:19The ABC understands the company will now work with the unions and ask any workers to take
01:25any leave they have owed.
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