NEARLY 100 jobs are thought to be at risk at the former CompAir Reavell business in Ipswich.

Workers at the company’s plant in White House Road are understood to have been briefed on the possibility of up to 97 job losses at the site, which is now part of the United States-based group Gardner Denver.

In April, Gardner Denver included a US$15.5m charge in its results for the first quarter of 2012 to cover the costs of restructuring, mainly focused on its European operations, which it said was expected to reduce its headcount by around 350.

The group, based in the town of Wayne, near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, yesterday declined to comment in detail of the proposals for the Ipswich site because it is currently in the “quite period” ahead of its second quarter results, barring it from making any comments which may affect its share price.

In a brief statement, the company said: “As we have previously stated, Gardner Denver Inc is in the process of restructuring its businesses around the world as a result of the challenging global economic environment.

“We are currently in our standard quarterly ‘quiet period’ and are thus unable to comment regarding specific restructuring plans at this time.”

The Ipswich business, which produces high-pressure piston compressors for sectors including industrial air and gas, defence, vehicle refuelling, bottle blowing and breathing air, was founded by Sir William Reavell in 1898 as Reavell & Co Ltd in Ranelagh Road. It later became part of the CompAir group, trading as CompAir Reavell, and relocated to the White House Industrial Estate in 2005.

CompAir, which is based in Redditch, in Worcestershire, was acquired by Gardner Denver in 2008.

Gardner Denver, which traces its history back to 1859, operates in 34 countries and last year generated earnings of US$277.5million on revenue of US$2.37billion.