Earlier this week Moulton Park-based double glazing company Plastmo, which employs 150 people, announced plans to close its factory.

And today, two more firms based in the town confirmed they had been rocked by the credit crunch.

Earls Barton-based holiday home builder Brentmere Leisure announced it has warned its 96 workers the factory could soon close.

The firm's managing director, Peter Wordley, said: "We're going through a consultation process with the staff at the moment.

"We've put a notice out to everyone about closing the factory and we're getting feedback on that now.

"The problems have all been caused by the economic downturn. Essentially we're getting very few orders for new holiday homes now.

"We do have another factory in Suffolk and what we're looking at is moving the business to one site.

"I can't say exactly how it will affect the staff here, because we're currently consulting on that whole issue."

The company's announcement came on the same day construction firm Tarmac announced plans to close its mortar production business in Crow Lane, Great Billing.

The move has been announced as part of a national review by Tarmac which will cut more than 300 jobs.

Tarmac has said all the staff at the Northampton site will be transferred to other locations, but the facility will be 'mothballed' until the housing market picks up.

A Tarmac spokesman said: "The plant's being mothballed because the bottom has fallen out of the market.

"But we need to be in a position to produce mortar again when things recover, so it will only be closed down until things get better again."

The facility produces mortar for the building industry.