A SHAKE-UP has been introduced at one of Ilminster’s largest employers to help improve its performance and safeguard jobs, the News can reveal.

Daido Industrial Bearings Europe, in Winterhay Lane, employs around 200 people, but has launched a “major change programme” to improve the quality of its products and ontime deliveries in order to protect jobs and expand the business.

Managing director Toshiaki Kawachi said changes had been introduced to ‘better grow the business and maintain employment stability.’

He added: “Daido has experienced many business and financial challenges since it was acquired by Daido Japan in 2001, and as a result it has required additional financial support and investment from Daido Japan.

“Daido Japan remains fully committed to develop and grow Daido, and has set clear performance improvement targets to the teams to achieve in the coming months to maintain that investment.”

Daido Metal is a Japanese-owned manufacturing organisation which develops and supplies plain bearings all over the world.

In the UK, Daido operates three separate organisations from Winterhay Lane, its products being used in vehicle engines, and marine, construction and general industrial machinery.

To support the changes the firm is recruiting to “strengthen the functions of quality, continuous improvement, maintenance and engineering”.

A source at the firm also told the News changes had been brought in to improve quality on its bearings products.