Aynsley China shuts its factory in Longton
One of the oldest ceramic firms in Stoke-on-Trent has closed its factory with the loss of 40 jobs.
Aynsley China was established in 1775 and has been on the same site in Longton since 1875.
Its parent company said it had suffered from a drop in orders and high production costs.
Harry Hockaday, from pottery union Unity, said the firm was talking to local producers about manufacturing under licence.
'Not as lucrative'
The company announced the closure of its Sutherland Road factory in September saying the cost of running it was "phenomenally high".
The brand has continued to be made in factories in China.
Mr Hockaday said the majority of the workers had found new jobs within the industry.
He said overall, the industry had seen a resurgence in the last couple of years.
"I don't want to tempt fate but... we have got no concerns at this time with the rest of the industry," he said.
"It's not as lucrative as it once was to produce abroad."