TWENTY jobs are to go at a Westhoughton electronic cash register supplier as part of a company restructuring exercise.

The jobs, at Torex UK on Wingates Industrial Park, are the latest in a series of changes which were predicted when Anker, as it was formerly known, was acquired for £100 million by US rival Torex Retail in August last year.

Doug Hargrove, Chief Operating Officer of Torex UK, said: "Since the acquisition, we have looked across the businesses for signs of duplication, because in a business this size there is bound to be some as you come through integration.

"While Westhoughton is very much a centre of excellence in terms of field customer service roles, unfortunately there are about 20 posts in finance and administration which have had to go because that area is better served elsewhere.

"Before Christmas we did create about ten new field customer service posts at Westhoughton. We see the site as pivotal as the new company grows."

Mr Hargrove said he did not anticipate any further job losses at the site.

"It is always an unpleasant decision to have to make posts redundant, and we are sensitive to the feelings of those affected, but Torex is a strong growth company, and we are looking for expansion and to create jobs nationwide in the medium to long term."

Before the takeover, Anker operated in 11 European countries with 1,250 staff, including 230 in Westhoughton. The firm had 2,000 customers, including Harrods.

Torex operates in the UK, Germany and Belgium, with customers such as Tesco, Woolworths, Selfridges and Shell.

Torex said the deal would help provide it with the scale it needs to become attractive to leading international retailers and oil companies.