A Novo UK, which services mobile phones, monitors and set-top boxes, is laying off at least 130 staff and closing its Manchester repair centre.

The company provides after-sales support and repairs for lots of tech companies including BT Vision, Sky, Dell and Philips. The redundancy plan, part of a strategic review of UK sites dubbed "Project Phoenix", will see the closure of the Manchester site following the loss of a contract to service Virgin Media set-top boxes.

Earlier this year the company exited the US market to concentrate on Europe.

It repairs mobile phones for O2, Orange, Nokia and Samsung, as well as set-top boxes and monitors. Existing contracts, but not staff, will be transferred to A Novo's Warrington and Enfield repair centres.

A Novo UK Ltd refused to comment on this story.

The Communication Workers Union complained about the company's policy of lightning closures when it shut a site in Howley, Warrington. ®

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