Why the need to lie then? Why insinuate that another reason for layoffs was a drop in demand? Did that not raise one flag for you?
Like I said, as a government owned plant dedicated to a single customer (the U.S. military and primarily the U.S. Army). That demand could very easily have dropped off.
Lake City is not driven by the commercial customer, because they don't contract directly for delivery. Lake City product that ends up on the market is surplus, which I believe is sold to wholesalers by the military, not by Lake City. In short, if US Army demand is down, demand for Lake City ammo is down.
Another point would be that automation of manufacture does not effect everyone in the plant. For example, the folks loading the trucks have the same job as before, if their process wasn’t automated.
However, if demand also dropped off, then you are letting workers go from the newly automated manufacturing line and the unautomted shipping department.
Now I know there are drops in capacity in second tier ammunition plants that specialize in once fired ammo. The reason they give, and I believe them, is that they can’t get enough empty brass (people aren’t shooting the product) and the primers, bullets, and powder suppliers can’t fill their orders. These folks weren’t buying on ongoing contracts like the big plants were and now find themselves at the back of the line, just like you and me.