JOBS at an electronics distribution firm in Christchurch have been put at risk of redundancy.

It is understood up to 150 positions at Kondor, which runs its headquarters from a large unit at Christchurch Business Park off Radar Way, could be cut.

The company made the announcement in group consultations with staff yesterday.

A Kondor employee, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Daily Echo that they understand jobs in the sales team, warehouse and finance department could face the axe, with the process set to progress in the coming days.

“There were a lot of tears,” they said. “Kondor was bought out two years ago. The premise of that acquisition was to improve Kondor.”

Kondor, which is a marketing and distribution partner for Samsung, was subject to a buyout by firm Exertis in 2018.

The staff member said they had been told a selection of job roles will be kept or relocated within other parts of the Exertis group.

A spokeswoman for Exertis said: “We have announced some proposed changes to our business at Kondor.

“As a result, some employees are at risk of redundancy and we are entering into a period of collective and individual consultation.

“No final decisions have been made and we will use the consultation period to discuss viable alternatives to potential redundancies.

“We will work closely with the employee representatives to find alternative options and we are giving all employees as much information and support as possible during this difficult time.”

Mudeford, Stanpit and West Highcliffe ward councillor Paul Hilliard said: “Kondor is one of the biggest employers in the Mudeford area. I am extremely sorry to hear this news. It is a challenging time for businesses.

“Hopefully there can be some positive outcomes from the review process.”

As reported in July last year, the unit Kondor occupy had been bought by South Somerset District Council (SSDC).

Despite being 50 miles away from the Christchurch site, the local authority forked out £7million to complete the purchase as part of a wide-ranging investment strategy. At the time the unit was let at a rent of £531,299 per year.

Kondor’s website says the firm is a ‘market maker’, connecting more than 100 brands to more than 250 companies.

Its clients include Tesco, O2, Amazon, John Lewis, Sainsbury’s and Argos.