The UK Government has announced extra financial support for companies interested in buying Remploy sites due to be closed.
The Department for Work and Pensions has said it is willing to offer a wage subsidy to companies which buy the sites and offer employment to disabled workers.
One such company could be Crumlin-based Brace’s Bakery, which has expressed interest in buying the Croespenmaen Remploy factory.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “There has been significant interest in the commercial process with Remploy reporting over 40 Expressions of Interest already received.
“To take account of the new wage incentive offer and to provide the opportunity for interested parties to submit new Expressions of Interest and subsequently Business Plans, the Remploy Board have taken the decision to extend the deadline for Business Plans.”
The wage subsidy to successful bids will be up to a maximum of £6,400 for each eligible disabled employee and will help ease the transition from the current operating models to new businesses.
Minister for Disabled People, Maria Miller said: “We’ve always said we wanted to safeguard as many jobs as possible and we have listened to those who have already come forward and put in a bid for the factories. That is why we are now offering this extra support which will add to the variety of innovative and enterprising bids.”
The deadline for Business Plans has also been extended to June 25.
It was announced in March 2012 that 36 of Remploy’s 54 factories, were to close putting more than 1,700 jobs in jeopardy.
Remploy’s factory in Croespenmaen, which operates a printing and packaging business and employs 44 people including 43 disabled employees, is one of those being proposed for closure.