REDUNDANCIES are likely at a Malvern company which used to be part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, now QinetiQ.

Up to 32 jobs are feared to be at risk at the firm, Amey Comax. This week a company spokesman would reveal only that restructuring was taking place and negotiations regarding workers' futures are underway with trades unions TGWU, Prospect, AEEU/Amicus and GMB.

Darren Bell of Amey said the company would initially be looking for voluntary redundancies.

Prospect spokesman Julie Flan-agan confirmed a 90-day consultation procedure has just started, but would not comment further.

Amey Comax provides secure support services for QinetiQ, both in Malvern and elsewhere.

It employs about 1,400 people nationwide and 144 at the Malvern site.

Comax was previously the internal support services division of DERA - part of the civil service - until a management buy-out in 1997.

In July 1999, it was acquired by the Amey Group in a £145 million deal. Amey's other clients have included American Express, Barclays Bank and the Meteorological Office.

In August, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) announced it is to leave Malvern by the end of 2004, taking up to 250 jobs with it.