A THRIVING factory may be forced to close with the loss of 15 jobs if Richard Cooper cannot find new premises.

He must move Transformer Equipment Ltd from the Richborough Business Park in Sandwich by December. "I have been trying to find another factory locally for a year but there is nothing around," he said.

Mr Cooper, who runs the business with his partner Luke Horlick, has been in Sandwich for more than 30 years and wants to stay in the area. "We are doing well and have national and local contracts for our transformers," he said.

It will be the third time he has had to move because of Pfizer's expansion along the Ramsgate Road. "Pfizer found us this unit four years ago but need it back and cannot offer us anything else," Mr Cooper said.

He has been negotiating with the owners of the Sandwich Industrial Estate for two years but nothing is available there at the moment. "This business has been my life's work and I would hate to see it all fall apart because we can't find a factory," he said.

Mr Cooper wants to stay as close to Sandwich as he can so that his staff don't have far to travel. "We need a 3000 sq foot light industrial unit with a small section of office accommodation," he said. Anyone who can offer a new home to Mr Cooper should contact him on 01304 612551.