A press statement released by Hoya Lens UK Ltd said it was "with regret" that a number of compulsory redundancies would be made at its plant.

A number of employees have already taken voluntary redundancies but the firm has now said that further jobs are at risk.

The move comes after the company moved some of its workload to a sister company in Thailand.

Shortly after the move, in April, Hoya said it would be bringing a number of temporary contracts to an end and cutting weekend production to 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Formal redundancy consultation with the works committee began on August 8 to discuss the latest cuts.

A statement released by the company reads: "Following the recent transfer of some production items to our sister factory in Thailand, we have had to review our manning levels against the predicted future volumes in order to maintain a financially viable business at Wrexham.

"This means that we may have to take some cost-cutting measures and formal redundancy consultation with the works committee began on August 8 and a number of actions and conclusions have been jointly agreed including a selection criteria.

"We anticipated reducing our manning by 27 jobs and a number of employees have elected to take voluntary redundancy. Despite this, and with regret, we are now at a point where we are advising a number of employees that their jobs are at risk of redundancy."

Managing director Martin Batho said the measures reflected what was happening on a global level in the ophthalmic lens manufacturing industry.

He also pointed out that the company had increased its number of employees from 251 people four years ago to its present level of 450.

Hoya Lens UK Ltd manufactures and supplies ophthalmic lenses for opticians in the UK and Ireland.