Posted on 10/30/2003 1:02:30 PM PST by Willie Green
For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.
GREENSBURG, Ind. - New Technology Network-BCA Corp. has informed employees it will close its plant in Greensburg next year as part of a corporate restructuring.
Company officials posted a notice Wednesday informing the plant's 280 employees that layoffs will begin Jan. 2.
"Operations will continue through the end of the year. How long after that, I'm really uncertain," said Dennis Fogle, who works in the plant's human resources department.
NTN-BCA said it would consolidate its manufacturing operations at its plant in Lititz, Pa., and eliminate the product line at the plant about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis, the Greensburg Daily News reported.
Osaka, Japan-based NTN acquired the plants in Lititz and Greensburg in 1996 when it acquired Federal-Mogul Corp., establishing NTN-BCA.
Fogle said the average age of the workers at the Greensburg plant was 53, and many have said they will retire after the plant closes.
Forrest Sandefur, who has worked at the plant for 41 years, said the closing did not come as a surprise to employees. Business has been slow, he said, and plant officials had been open about the plant's prospects.
"I can't say I've really seen anybody too sour about this," he said.
Local economic development officials scheduled a job fair for NTN-BCA workers Saturday.
Mike Walker of the Economic Development Corp. of Greensburg and Decatur County said nearly 300 jobs, most of which paid between $12 and $17 an hour, would be difficult to replace in the community of 10,000.
"The work is really ahead of us," Walker said. "We'll have to continue to get more job opportunities in here to compensate for those we're losing."
NTN-BCA manufactures bearings and other anti-friction devices for the forklift, agricultural and automotive industries. Its American corporate headquarters is in Elgin, Ill.
Information from: Greensburg Daily News
It churns my stomach to see a bearing factory close.
It's symptomatic of a broader degradation of our self-sufficiency and national security.
I have run a business quite successfully thank you and the problem is the trade policies put in place by the Clinton Administration that lowered American tariffs vs so called developing nations while allowing them to maintain high tariffs on American products.
That's one of the requirements of the free market economy- ease of entry and exit into the market place.
The bad news is that too many want to tax our imports and spend our money on them that can't or won't compete. The good news is that the tax'n'spenders are in the minority.
The gdp soars, the money supply increases, and 18 million new jobs since NAFTA was signed- is this a great country or what!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.