NELSON-based communication giant Daisy has announced it has shed 25 jobs.

The company, which employs around 700, and around 1,500 nationwide, announced last month that staff in its customer services division would face skills assessments before redundancies were decided.

The firm, which was founded in Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson in 2001, also shed two jobs from its call centre in Prudhoe, Northumberland.

All staff in the customer services divisions were faced with psychometric tests and competency-based interviews.

The managing director of Daisy Retail, Andrew Fryatt, said the redundancies were not a cost-cutting exercise and the firm currently had 80 vacancies, including 40 in Nelson.

The firm recently announced its intention to acquire the former 2e2 data centre business in Newbury, Berkshire, which could see 100 people joining the group.

Mr Fryatt said: “As our business has evolved, so has the necessary skill set needed to take Daisy forward. While we have unfortunately lost some positions, we have brought in new skills and created a number of new roles to address future business growth and our diversification into new product areas.”

Last year, the firm’s call centre became a 24-hour operation following its growth. More than 75,000 business customers are serviced by the provider of broadband, mobile, lines, calls and telephone systems.

In January last year, Daisy opened its new 700-capacity office complex next to its premises in Lindred Road.

And last May the firm invested £1million in a bomb-proof data centre inside the former Bank of England bullion vault in Manchester city centre.