Heavy machinery maker Caterpillar has said it could lay off about 2,000 employees at a plant in Belgium, as it considers shifting production to other facilities as part of a restructuring programme announced last year.
The company, which manufactures construction equipment at the plant in Gosselies, Belgium said it may shift the production to its facility at Grenoble, France and other locations outside of Europe.
It follows an announcement yesterday by the company, which said up to 250 jobs could go at US multinational Caterpillar's plants in Northern Ireland.
The proposals include the possible closure of the Monkstown facility near Belfast and the consolidation of operations in Larne in Co Antrim and Springvale in Belfast.
The manufacturing firm is considering discontinuing production of 25-tonne and larger material handlers in Northern Ireland, including the planned launch of large material handler models for Europe.
If finalised, production for electric power generator sets in Monkstown would be consolidated into Larne and manufacture of truck axles will move into Springvale.
A company statement said: "These actions could result in the reduction of between 200 to 250 production, support and management positions across the Northern Ireland facilities."
Caterpillar employs around 1,800 people in Northern Ireland.
It has four facilities - Larne, Monkstown, Springvale and Belfast offices beside the Springvale plant.
Caterpillar said in September 2015 that it will cut as many as 10,000 jobs through 2018 and also might close or consolidate more than 20 plants around the world as it grappled with the mining and energy downturn.
In July, Caterpillar said that global uncertainty, the vote in Britain to leave the European Union and the attempted coup in Turkey had heightened risks, especially in Europe.
