A plumbing and drainage firm has announced 45 job losses in Kent.

Chris Nunn, managing director of Marley Plumbing and Drainage, said that because of the “exceptional deterioration” in the construction market the company was shedding jobs at both its Lenham site and at its warehouse in Glasgow. Staff were told at 2pm yesterday.

He said: “We will today be starting consultations with our unions to find ways of reducing our payroll costs to match current demand levels."

Mr Nunn said he did not see any improvement in the market in 2009.

One of MP&D’s biggest customers is Wolseley, which is closing 200 stores across the country, including Bathstore and Plumb Center.

MP&D is one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of plastic pipe systems and currently employs about 500 people.