NSK Peterlee Set to Close, with the loss of up to 400 jobs...

NSK Peterlee

North East jobs on the line as Japanese firm NSK plans Peterlee factory shutdown.

12th November 2025

A major manufacturing firm is said to be preparing to pull the plug on its Peterlee factory, putting around 400 jobs at risk in what trade union leaders have branded a “complete betrayal” of County Durham workers.

NSK Bearings, which has operated in Peterlee since 1976, has announced plans to shut both of its factories as part of a wider strategy to abandon “unprofitable” parts of its business. The two sites currently produce bearings for steering columns and wheel hubs, supplying major automotive brands such as VW, Renault and Nissan — the latter having its own large-scale plant just up the A19 in Sunderland.

The company said it's been facing “persistent challenges in the profitability of locally manufactured products” and has now reportedly begun formal consultations with Unite the Union representatives. NSK expects the closures to be completed by March 2027.

Despite the announcement, the firm pledged to “continue discussions with stakeholders and provide support measures for affected staff if the closure proceeds.”

Unite’s General Secretary, Sharon Graham, condemned the decision, accusing NSK bosses of turning its back on a loyal workforce that had consistently met performance targets under the promise of job security.

“This is a complete betrayal by NSK of its County Durham workforce, who have broken their backs hitting performance targets that they were told would keep their factories safe,” Ms Graham said. “There is a viable business case for keeping these sites open and Unite will fight tooth and nail for that to happen.”

The union is now said to be calling on the Labour Government to step in with financial assistance to protect skilled manufacturing jobs in the North East — in a region that has already suffered heavily from years of industrial decline.

Brexit, Red -Tape & High Energy Costs all to blame !

Industry insiders say UK manufacturers have been hit hard by a combination of Brexit red tape, high energy costs, and declining demand for traditional car parts amid the shift to electric vehicles. Ironically, the Peterlee operation was reportedly powered entirely by renewable wind energy, making the closure even more disappointing for those who had seen the site as a model for sustainable manufacturing.

With its Peterlee operations potentially going, NSK’s only remaining UK manufacturing site will be in Newark, Nottinghamshire, alongside others in Germany and Poland.

The loss of such a long-standing employer is another serious blow for County Durham’s local economy, with many workers fearing that once again, the North East is going to be left bearing the brunt of corporate restructuring, high energy costs and government inaction.