The Courtaulds plant will close within four months

Courtaulds announced on Wednesday that its plant in Limavady would close with the loss of 185 jobs.

The firm said that it intended to stop sewing, cutting and other support operations at the factory, in what a spokesman said was a cost-cutting exercise to become more competitive.

The company plans to enter discussions with unions, the local chamber of commerce and political representatives to see if anything can be done to save the jobs.

Courtaulds agreed to a takeover offer from US food and consumer products group Sara Lee in March 2000.

The company owned the Gossard and Berlei bra brands before the takeover.

Eamon McDaid of the trade union, Siptu, said the job losses were expected.

"Since Sara Lee took over the company about four years ago, there has been a general running down of the factory," he said.

"Planning, purchasing and administration were all taken away from the plant and centralised in Nottingham.

I think people have been getting used to the fact that there could be a closure Eamon McDaid Siptu

"I think people have been getting used to the fact that there could be a closure."

In another development, up to 75 people are to lose their jobs at the former DuPont plant at Maydown, near Derry.

The textiles manufacturer Invista - which has taken over most of the plant - said on Wednesday that the jobs were going as part of a restructuring exercise.

It currently employs about 500 staff at Maydown.

Employment in the province's textiles industry has been badly hit in recent years, with firms struggling to ward off the threat of cheaper foreign imports.