Jobs fears as Yorkshire cards firm announces business ‘realignment’

The American-owned greetings card giant said it had started a consultation process with employees “to assess the future needs of the business”.

The firm said it had undergone a “comprehensive review of all areas” of its business and would be establishing a new structure, adding: “All employees across the organisation have been made aware of the process and will be involved, and kept up to date every step of the way, through elected representation.”

Hallmark Cards UK has 450 employees and is part of Bradford-based Hallmark Cards plc, which employs a total of 3,100 people in the UK.

A spokeswoman for the firm told the Yorkshire Post: “As the consultation process has only just begun today, it’s impossible to say how many jobs are at risk or not. This will become clearer as the consultation progresses over the coming weeks.”

Earlier this month, Hallmark said its international division, which includes Hallmark Cards plc, faced “difficult economic conditions in a number of its key markets, but finished the year only slightly below 2009”, although the family-owned corporation saw revenues increase three per cent to $4.1bn.

Hallmark Cards UK managing director Steve Wright said, “We believe the changes we are making will give greater insight into our customers’ needs and challenges, create a superior approach to developing and delivering exciting products and guarantee more efficient processes throughout the entire organisation to ensure a competitive and successful business for our customers, employees and stakeholders alike.

“We need to ensure the organisation is in great shape to continue that tradition and we believe the steps we are taking now are crucial to delivering that outcome.”