More than 60 jobs are being axed by a major engineering manufacturer in east Devon.

Howmet, which is one of the largest private sector employers in Exeter, is shedding 65 staff.

It is the fifth time Howmet has made redundancies this year, with most of the job losses among shop floor workers.

Howmet blames a downturn in the power station turbine market, which is its main customer.

Job losses at Howmet in 2002

November - 50 shop floor manufacturing jobs and 15 office and administration staff October - 26 non-shop floor workers May - 50 shop floor staff April - 80 shop floor jobs January - 18 non-shop floor staff

It takes the number of redundancies during the year to 239 - more than 20% of the company's 1,100-strong workforce.

The company is now negotiating with unions over who will have to leave the company when the job losses come into effect on December 13.

Fifty shop floor workers and 15 office and administration staff will go, with the company hoping to achieve most of those numbers through voluntary redundancy.

Transport and General Workers' Union convenor Andy Murray said: "It's very sad and disappointing.

Celebrated anniversary

"But we have been hit by problems in the power industry, the collapse of Enron and the events of September 11."

Last month, 26 job losses among white collar workers were announced at the company which makes cooling blades for gas turbines and jet engines.

Last September the company celebrated its 30th anniversary on the Sowton Industrial Estate.