Hundreds of Scottish workers will lose their jobs after it was announced their electronics factory is to close down.

Employees at the Texas Instruments (TI) plant in Greenock, Inverclyde, were called into a meeting with bosses from the United States on Wednesday afternoon.

The plant, which was formerly owned by National Semiconductor before it merged with TI in September 2011, employs around 365 workers and is one of the biggest employers in Inverclyde.

Workers were told on Wednesday afternoon that the Scots factory will close and operations be moved to Germany, Japan and Maine.

It is understood they were told the decision was not a reflection on the performance, quality or commitment at the plant in Greenock.

STV News understands bosses at the US firm considered upgrading or expanding the facility but decided the factory would be far less efficient than its other bases across Europe and globally.

TI will now try to sell the Greenock factory. Management have now drafted in a firm which specialises in selling manufacturing properties, to help with this.

It is understood job losses relating to the closure of the factory will not happen before late 2017.

Gerry McCarthy, the firm's Scotland site manager, said: "Decisions like this are never easy, and we don’t make them lightly. While the rationale for moving production out of our Greenock fab makes good business sense, we understand the impact it could have on our employees and the community.

"This is certainly not a reflection of the performance or commitment of our people but due to the efficiency of the site itself.

"We recognise this is difficult news, and our focus right now is on our employees and to ensure they have all of the information they need as we move forward."

Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe, said: “This is a stunning blow to the Scottish economy.

"In Inverclyde our business sector is resilient and our skills base strong, which is the reason companies like Texas Instruments, have made this their home for over 40 years.

"This announcement requires a significant response from local and national agencies. I am announcing the setting up of a dedicated task force and will be extending an invitation today to the Scottish Government, their national agencies, local councillors in the area, our regional and constituency MSPs and our MP.

"It is time to once again stand shoulder to shoulder, as we did over the highly successful Fergusons task force, and secure a future for this skilled workforce.

"We must also work together to ensure that national resource makes its way to Greenock to achieve that endeavour. I will also be seeking an urgent meeting with top level management at Texas Instruments.”

Commenting on the announcement, business minister Fergus Ewing said: "I am disappointed Texas Instruments is looking to close its Greenock manufacturing site. This is a blow to the local community and will be a very anxious time for employees and their families.

"The Scottish Government has been in touch with Texas Instruments and we will continue to work closely with the company to do all we can to secure a long-term future for the 365 jobs and manufacturing at the site. In addition Scottish Enterprise is seeking an urgent meeting with local management.

"Should any redundancies proceed, the Scottish Government’s PACE initiative stands ready to support any affected employees. Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time that individuals affected by redundancy are out of work."