Construction jobs could go Solway Structural Steel
About 80 construction jobs are under threat in southern Scotland.
The workers are employed by Solway Structural Steel at two sites - at Creetown in Dumfries and Galloway, and at Killoch, near Cumnock in Ayrshire.
Employees have been issued with official 30-day consultation notices.
A statement from the parent company - Barr Holdings - blames difficult trading conditions with the Scottish Construction Industry facing "unprecedented economic challenges".
A spokesman for Barr Limited added: "At a global level, manufacturing and fabrication have been especially hard hit over the past two years and this has resulted in the unfortunate but necessary requirement for us to conduct an operational review of the entire Solway Structural Steel business.
He added: "We have done everything possible to avoid this regrettable situation and will be consulting extensively with Solway Steel personnel and their representatives in the coming weeks."
Local Labour politicians said the announcement of potential job cuts was "devastating news" for the employees and the area.
Russell Brown, MP for Dumfries and Galloway, said he would hoped to meet with company bosses over the coming days.
He added: "This announcement would be awful at any time, but it hits even harder at this time of year.
"Solway Structural Steel is a big employer and if the workforce loses their jobs it will be a massive blow to the area."