Plastic card manufacturer ABCorp is closing its Christchurch plant with the loss of around 50 jobs.

The company has confirmed it is moving the plant's operations to Australia.

E tu spokesman Joe Gallagher says the union will do all it can to support the workers before the closure, which is scheduled for the end of March.

"We're gutted about this," he said.

"The workers knew what was coming but that doesn't make it any easier. These are good jobs with reasonable pay and conditions and that's hard to find these days."

Gallagher said ABCorp's departure from Christchurch followed the decision of other firms, like Cadbury and Pastry House, to relocate across the Tasman.

"These companies come over here, they create expectations for the people working for them, but there's no loyalty," he said.

"They lose a major contract or two, as happened here, and just decide to move on."

However, he reiterated the union's view that the government could help support local specialist firms through its procurement processes.

- NZ Newswire