Canadian aluminium firm Alcan is shutting its Burntisland plant after failing to find a buyer.

The GMB union, which represents most of the workers, has described the decision as a "tragedy" for Fife.

The GMB said workers were devastated

The announcement came as another jobs blow was delivered at an engineering factory in Bathgate, West Lothian.

Glacier Vandervell is shedding 160 staff at the plant, which manufactures bearings for motor engines.

Alcan's decision to close its Burntisland factory comes less than a year after the company announced plans to shut down its Glasgow plant with the loss of 200 jobs.

Production of oil and laminates will be switched from the east end of the city to a newer facility in Shropshire by the middle of next year.

The company also said last December that it would cut 310 jobs at its plant in Rogerstone in south east Wales.

Alcan put its Burntisland plant on the market in January when it announced plans to pull out of the chemicals market in Europe.

Consultation process

The decision to close the factory was taken after no buyer could be found.

The plant has been in Burntisland for more than 80 years and has employed generations of local families.

Alcan will now begin a consultation process with employees and unions.

This comes as a blow to West Lothian, which has suffered thousands of redundancies over the past two years

Danny Carrigan Amicus

A spokesman for GMB Scotland said workers were devastated.

It also said that the closure would mean that �10m in wages would be lost to the area.

Enterprise Minister Iain Gray said: ""The announcement of the closure by the company is extremely disappointing and my main concern is to ensure that everything possible is done to assist those affected to find suitable, alternative employment.

"Support will be provided to those affected through a specialist local response team, which will offer advice, support and guidance in terms of retraining, upskilling and employment opportunities."

Glacier Vandervell said its proposed cuts at Bathgate were part of a restructuring project aimed at improving efficiency across its European operations.

'Thousands of redundancies'

"There will not be anything happening at the site until at least mid 2003," said a spokesman.

"We have to consult with the unions and that could affect the outcome in terms of job cuts."

The Amicus union said it would be meeting with the company in an attempt to minimise the number of job losses.

Regional secretary Danny Carrigan said: "This comes as a blow to West Lothian, which has suffered thousands of redundancies over the past two years, and I will be doing everything possible to try and prevent these redundancies."

He also plans to contact Mr Gray to ask for his assistance.