GLASSMAKER Pilkington is making further cuts to its Merseyside workforce as it continues to reduce costs in response to the global downturn.

It is axing 18 engineering jobs, along with some senior managerial roles, to bring total job cuts within the region to more than 200 in the last year.

The firm has also decided not to bring its float line that underwent a £22m refurbishment two years ago into service as planned this month. It has deferred its start until April, 2011, blaming the “general downturn in the building markets”.

Steve Gange, Pilkington’s HR director, said: “We have announced some senior management changes – that was an organisational move to take out some substantial costs. We have also announced we would be reducing our engineering team by 18.”

Its Greengate site, in St Helens, has two float lines, UK5 and UK6. UK5 was refurbished in 2008 but has not yet been operational. UK6 will be mothballed when UK5 starts producing glass but remains operational for now.

Pilkington’s parent company, Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG), has been forced to make deep cuts as it has endured a torrid time during the recession, which has hit housing and automotive – key markets for glass – particularly hard.

It has reduced its global staff levels by 15% – about 6,700 people – in just over a year. NSG’s UK arm last month completed a £380m re-financing deal with a banking syndicate.

Globally, NSG is expecting sales to be down by about one-quarter, to £4.1bn, when it announces its results in May.