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Longaberger to furlough 650 workers
Columbus Business First ^ | 9/21/2004 | American City Business Journals

Posted on 09/21/2004 11:24:23 AM PDT by lelio

Longaberger Co. revealed plans Monday to put 650 employees on work leave for six weeks. The announcement comes a week after the company cut 215 administrative jobs.

The workers, who make baskets, wood crafts and basket handles at a plant in Frazeysburg, will continue to receive benefits during the furlough. Employees won't receive pay, but will be eligible for government unemployment benefits.

The Newark-based basket maker said it needs to reduce its inventory, and plans to recall the workers after the six weeks.

"As we begin building products to support the expected strong holiday selling period and 2005 business, we'll be counting on those employees to ensure we meet projected customer demand," Jim Gimeson, vice president of manufacturing and human resources, said in a press release.

The company plans to permanently cut 34 basketmaking jobs at its Hartville plant as it moves all basket making to Frazeysburg. It expects to move 76 basket makers to Frazeysburg from Hartville. The Hartville facility will retain 90 wood processing jobs.

Longaberger has eliminated about 1,000 jobs this month, including a sudden cut of 215 administrative and managerial employees last week. Approximately 4,300 workers remain, down from 7,000 employees in 1999.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: baskets; layoffs
Follow up to a story months ago about Longaberger might layoff 1000
1 posted on 09/21/2004 11:24:24 AM PDT by lelio
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To: lelio

The Longaberger baskets are pretty and well-made, however they are a tad overpriced (IMHO).


2 posted on 09/21/2004 11:30:17 AM PDT by Ohioan from Florida (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.- Edmund Burke)
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To: Ohioan from Florida

just a tad.


3 posted on 09/21/2004 11:34:30 AM PDT by Lil'freeper (You do not have the plug-in required to view this tagline.)
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To: Ohioan from Florida

One can only have or use so many pretty, overpriced baskets. They have literally saturated their market.


4 posted on 09/21/2004 11:35:43 AM PDT by MHT
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To: MHT
One can only have or use so many pretty, overpriced baskets.

They should co-op the old Bill Cosby slogan "There's always room for Jello" Maybe throw out the "overpriced" bit and we're got a sure-fire winner!
5 posted on 09/21/2004 11:39:55 AM PDT by lelio
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To: lelio

Every fad has a natural cycle. My wife will need resuscitation.


6 posted on 09/21/2004 11:42:32 AM PDT by Taliesan (fiction police)
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To: lelio

One displaced worker commented....weave lost our jobs, I'm gonna be a basket case!


7 posted on 09/21/2004 11:58:19 AM PDT by zygoat
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To: zygoat

Sounds like the company is going to he!!, in a hand-basket


8 posted on 09/21/2004 12:01:06 PM PDT by ConservativeOrBust
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To: ConservativeOrBust

Or maybe they just need to re-locate to Helena!


9 posted on 09/21/2004 12:09:25 PM PDT by MHT
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To: Ohioan from Florida
my wife sold these things for a few years -IMO what will eventually sink the company is the fact these are mass produced and sold in what I consider a legitimized pyramid scheme

I didnt consider them well made .....BUT.....the red dinner china is near indestructible -

I dropped one on the garage floor once (on edge) and I kid you not, the sucker bounced back into the air and landed again on the floor - unchipped

I however was shaking like a leaf, thinking I was going to have to blame it on the dog or something

10 posted on 09/21/2004 12:16:40 PM PDT by Revelation 911
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To: Revelation 911

LOL!


11 posted on 09/21/2004 12:24:10 PM PDT by Ohioan from Florida (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.- Edmund Burke)
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To: MHT

I have more baskets than I would want my husband to know about--but I stopped purchasing them about three years ago because I really had all I could use (saturation) and they are just a tad bit pricey.


12 posted on 09/21/2004 12:33:05 PM PDT by kmiller1k (remain calm)
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To: lelio
This is the same company that built their corprate headquarters building in the shape of a basket. The picture below looks like a basket, but it is a building.

Maybe someone can come up with a larger image.

13 posted on 09/21/2004 12:33:11 PM PDT by wideminded
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To: lelio

Democrats will be weaving baskets for them after November 2.


14 posted on 09/21/2004 12:34:29 PM PDT by mabelkitty (Watch for a CBS employee in a trench coat going by DeepWord.....)
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To: Ohioan from Florida
however they are a tad overpriced (IMHO).

A tad? Needless to say, IMHO, they are WAY, WAY overpriced...their products are nice, but I just don't see how the "average" person can afford to pay what they sell their baskets for. I saw a sale flyer the other day with a new purse basket...with a $300 price tag. That's ridiculous. We have a good amount of disposable income, but that's just irresponsible to pay $300 for a purse basket...I suspect many others feel the same way.

I hate to see folks getting layed off or losing their jobs all together, but I'm not surprised to see this happen...there's only just so much a person is going to pay for a basket, and Longaberger has brought this on themselves...I think they've priced themselves out of the market...can't compete with those "made in China/made in Taiwan" imports.

15 posted on 09/21/2004 1:50:41 PM PDT by nfldgirl ("It was on a Monday, somebody touched me! ... must have been the hand of the Lord!")
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To: Mean Maryjean

I haven't bought one in probably 10 years. Sounds like the prices have continued to skyrocket if they're asking $300 for them these days. They were overpriced 10 years ago, but what they must be going for now is ridiculous!!


16 posted on 09/21/2004 2:01:40 PM PDT by Ohioan from Florida (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.- Edmund Burke)
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To: Mean Maryjean

I haven't bought one in probably 10 years. Sounds like the prices have continued to skyrocket if they're asking $300 for them these days. They were overpriced 10 years ago, but what they must be going for now is ridiculous!!


17 posted on 09/21/2004 2:02:25 PM PDT by Ohioan from Florida (The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.- Edmund Burke)
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To: kmiller1k

Really? That's interesting about your baskets. Did you enjoy shopping for them? What color are they?

Some time I'll have to tell you all about my shopping trip to Tuesday Morning last Friday.


18 posted on 09/22/2004 4:00:27 PM PDT by Devil_Anse
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