A major electronics factory is to close with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
Staff at Texas Instruments in Greenock, Inverclyde, were called into a meeting with US bosses to be told the news on Wednesday afternoon.
The factory, which was formerly owned by National Semiconductor, provides jobs to about 400 people and is one of the biggest employers in the area.
Operations will be moved to Germany, Japan and Maine over three years, when the site will be closed.
Labour constituency MSP Duncan McNeil said: "It is not just a blow, it is right out of the blue. To lose production to Germany and Japan, it’s not run of the mill. It’s not losing jobs to low cost countries. It is a blow and a surprise. Texas Industries has been in the community for many years providing good jobs. It’s a real blow to the work force that is high skilled.
"I am shocked at this news and the impact on the community and the Scottish manufacturing industries. It’s terrible news and I will take the first opportunity to raise this at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday."
In a statement the company said: "Today, TI announced its intention to phase out our manufacturing facility in Greenock, Scotland, over the next three years.
"Our plans are to move production from this facility to more cost-effective 200-millimeter TI fabs in Germany, Japan and Maine.
"TI continuously reviews our facilities across the world using a range of factors that includes the cost effectiveness and capacity of each site.
"As our products become more advanced, the capacity and cost effectiveness of our facilities have to be considered. This is a decision taken with our global operations in mind and is not a reflection of the performance, quality or commitment of our Greenock employees.
"Our employees have done everything they can to keep the site cost-competitive, and we strongly considered ways to improve the site’s efficiency, such as upgrading or expanding the facility.
"However, even with a considerable investment, TI’S factory in Greenock would be far less efficient than our other larger, more efficient fabs, which have open capacity available to absorb what’s produced in Greenock."
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