Kemet has closed two of its European production facilities as part a worldwide cost-cutting programme for the capacitor supplier.

The closure of a plant in Towcester will see 80 staff lose their jobs. More jobs will go in Italy where the capacitor manufacturer is closing its factory at Vargato.

Local reports suggest that the cuts at Towcester were a big surprise for the local management. Kemet acquired the facility when it bought Arcotronics Italia S.p.A last year.

Kemet's R&D centre at Weymouth in Dorset is unaffected by the cuts.

The cuts are part of a wider cost savings initiative announced this week, which involves the cutting of approximately 120 jobs in the US and approximately 250 in Mexico.

Behind the move is a relocation of some manufacturing processes to China.

Since 2006, Kemet has acquired ten manufacturing facilities in Europe, which makes Europe the largest manufacturing region for the US-based capacitor company.

The company acquired the manufacturing facilities when it bought the Epcos tantalum capacitor business, Evox Rifa and Arcotronics.