GN ReSound, which makes hearing devices, is to close its plant in Cork by the end of April with the loss of 180 jobs.
The firm's Danish parent company said the move was part of a plan to consolidate its manufacturing and distribution activities into China and Denmark.
Workers in Cork were told of the decision today by the company's senior vice-president Peter Lindquist, who said the Cork plant had performed 'excellently' and that it was a difficult decision.
The Irish operation was set up in 1994 and is the only hearing instrument manufacturing operation in the country. Production will now be transferred to China, while other activities such as distribution and customer service will move to headquarters in Denmark.
