Fabric sofa sales have been hit

The company has discussed the closure of its Cardiff and Ebbw Vale sites with GMB union officials.

The downturn in sales of soft fabric covered sofas in preference for leather has hit production at the two factories.

The union met with management on Wednesday and now has 90 days in which to come up with a rescue plan or try to minimise the scale of the job losses.

This results from a marked downturn in the upholstery market combined with the increasing competitive pressure of low-cost imports James Benfield, Christie Tyler chief executive

In a statement, Christie Tyler Group chief executive James Benfield said: "Christie-Tyler confirms it is in discussion with employee representatives at Carousel Furniture Limited in Cardiff and Wyvern Furniture Limited at Ebbw Vale, which may lead to a reduction of manufacturing capacity with associated job losses.

"This results from a marked downturn in the upholstery market combined with the increasing competitive pressure of low-cost imports.

"A further announcement will be made when discussions have been concluded."

The Christie Tyler group includes Pendragon, the UK's largest manufacturer of leather sofas.

Cutbacks

Jobs at the company's Bridgend plants are not effected by the cutbacks.

It is exactly two years since the Christie Tyler group - based in Bridgend - announced it was shedding 300 workers from its 2,000-strong workforce.

The jobs were lost at the company's factories in Caerphilly and Bridgend.

Since the demise of the coal industry, upholstery factories have become a major employer in south Wales, employing thousands of workers.