Hoosier Jobs

WARN notices tell the rest of the story

2008-05-18T13:34:00.001-04:00

New WARN notices:

Plastech	Elwood	286	05/15/08	07/13/08	3261991	Transportation Plastics Components Manufacturing	CL
Craco Indiana Inc	Indianapolis	70	05/08/08	12/31/08	3261123	Polyurethane Manufacturing	CL
LEAR Corporation	Hammond	109	05/02/08	07/03/08	336399	Automotive Interior Systems and Components	LO
Tyden Brammall, Inc.	Angola	60	05/01/08	07/11/08	56162	Security Seals System	LO

Two more manufacturing plants set to close

2008-04-29T10:32:00.003-04:00

Two new WARN notices:

	Heidtman Stell Products			Crawfordsville	71	06/30/08	CL
	Citation			Butler	197	06/23/08	CL

Four new WARN notices -- almost 1,000 layoffs

2008-04-22T21:54:00.005-04:00

New WARN notices posted in the last few days:

Sturgis Iron & Metal Co. Inc.	Elkhart	109	04/21/08	04/25/08	423930	Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesaler	CL
Sturgis Iron & Metal Co. Inc.	South Bend	54	04/21/08	04/25/08	423930	Recyclable Material Merchant Wholesaler	CL
Visteon Bedford	Bedford	577	04/17/08	06/30/08	336391	Engine Parts Manufacturing	CL
Faurecia Exhaust Systems	Granger	190	04/17/08	09/07/08	336339	Auto industry-Exhaust Manufacting	CL

Visteon closing its Bedford plant

2008-04-21T11:08:00.001-04:00

The Indy Star morning business update brings us this news:

One of Bedford's largest employers, Visteon Corp., an auto-parts maker spun off from Ford, has confirmed plans to close its plant. The company notified the state that it will lay off 577 workers at the engine manufacturer starting June 30, with final closure July 31. The Michigan-based company, seeking to become more competitive, announced the move last year.

Lilly boots up to 500 workers

2008-04-16T21:06:00.001-04:00

Eli Lilly may be laying off as many as 500 workers in Indianapolis. Couldn't Mitch Daniels do something about this, given that he used to work there?

Under pressure to reduce costs, Eli Lilly and Co. said today it plans to cut up to 500 jobs in Indianapolis through a buyout program.

The cuts, which will take place in coming months, would bring Lilly's headcount in Central Indiana to about 12,000, down from more than 14,000 in 2004. It represents the largest single job-reduction action by Lilly in Indiana in recent years.

Most of the cuts, up to 430 jobs, would come in the company's manufacturing operations, at facilities that make the active pharmaceutical ingredients for insulin products Humalog and Humulin as well as for the osteoporisis medicine Forteo. The remainder of the cuts, up to another 70 jobs, would come from Lilly's research and development operations.

"For several years, we have focused on strategic efforts to lower costs, increase flexibility and improve productivity across the business," said John C. Lechleiter, Lilly's president and chief executive, in a statement. "This strategy calls for reducing investments in some areas while increasing investments in others, and the streamlining decisions announced today are an example of this."

CFM Corp. in Huntington files WARN notice

2008-04-16T21:05:00.003-04:00

A WARN notice posted indicates that 390 workers will be affected by some sort of action at CFM Corp. in Huntington. (The notice currently says "TBD.")

ATA files for bankruptcy, 2,200 out of work

2008-04-03T10:05:00.001-04:00

This Indy-based layoffs story is making national news:

ATA Airlines canceled all flights Thursday after filing for bankruptcy as it posted advisories at ticket counters in the handful of cities it still served and sought help for stranded travelers.

The Indianapolis-based airline, once the nation's 10th-largest, entered bankruptcy for the second time in just over three years Wednesday, this time citing the loss of a key military charter business.

The airline had approximately 50 flights per day, mostly between Hawaii and four west coast cities _ Oakland, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Las Vegas, said company spokesman Michael Freitag.

ATA said has been in contact with other airlines that may be able to assist with travelers holding tickets that the airline can no longer honor.

On its Web site, the airline apologized for the disruption and suggested that customers seek alternative travel arrangements.

The company had over 2,200 employees, Freitag said.

"Virtually all of ATA's employees are being notified today that their positions are eliminated," Freitag said.

Harvey Industries laying off 90 in Wabash

2008-04-02T19:45:00.002-04:00

Today's WARN notices indicate that Harvey Industries in Wabash is laying off 90 alumninum manufacturing workers. The layoffs are effective June 2.

Centerplate Inc. laying off 219 in Indy

2008-03-31T15:51:00.002-04:00

The WARN notices indicate that Centerplate Inc. in Indianapolis is laying off 219 service employees at the beginning of June.

420 union jobs axed in East Chicago

2008-03-29T08:40:00.001-04:00

Union Tank Car Co. is shutting down in East Chicago:

Union Tank Car Co. will close its 40-year-old East Chicago plant at the end of May, eliminating the jobs of about 70 salaried and 350 hourly employees. The company will shift production to its newer, nonunion facilities in the South.

Chase to cut 100 jobs in Downtown Indy

2008-03-28T09:31:00.001-04:00

JPMorgan Chase will cut 100 jobs in Downtown Indianapolis in May:

One of Downtown Indianapolis' largest employers let about 100 workers know they'll be out of a job by May.

JPMorgan Chase says it is cutting staff in the company's home-equity lending division at Chase Tower.

The affected employees were given 60 days' notice on Wednesday, spokeswoman Nancy Norris said today. Those employees provide loan-officer support, account maintenance and document-handling services. Another 350 home-equity workers that work for chase are being let go, primarily in Rochester, N.Y.

"The reason is the mortgage slowdown," Norris said by phone.

Dutch Housing cuts 250 jobs

2008-03-26T14:10:00.003-04:00

The Department of Workforce Development posts a WARN notice today indicating 250 layoffs at Dutch Housing in LaGrange and Topeka. The layoffs will take place by May 28 as part of a closure.

GE to close Bloomington plant after all

2008-03-25T09:59:00.000-04:00

Bad news for Bloomington:

General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) has reportedly let workers at its refrigerator plant in Bloomington know the facility will close by the end of next year. The Bloomington Herald-Times reports employee-led efforts to make the plant more efficient have not convinced GE to change its plans. More than 800 people work at the Bloomington operation.

Sturgis Medical to lay off 15

2008-03-21T12:50:00.001-04:00

Sturgis Medical Group is laying off 15 workers in Indiana:

The slow economy is hitting the health care sector. Sturgis Medical Group is closing a clinic in LaGrange County and two others in Michigan. The company says 15 workers will be laid off in Indiana. Our partners at WSBT-TV in South Bend also report the group will lay off 30 workers at its Sturgis Hospital in Michigan.

Kimball to cut jobs in Jasper

2008-03-21T12:47:00.002-04:00

Kimball International will cut jobs at its Jasper headquarters, according to this story:

Kimball International plans to eliminate between 75 and 100 jobs by midyear from its headquarters in Jasper.

Company spokesman Martin Vaught says the job cuts will reach as high as the level of a vice president and include management, human resources, information technology and engineering positions.

Kimball International, which makes furniture and electronics, announced several weeks ago that it planned to cut about 150 positions worldwide.

The company has about 4,000 employees at its headquarters in the southern Indiana city.

Mitsubishi Heavy Equipment closing in Greenwood

2008-03-20T10:52:00.002-04:00

Mitsubishi Heavy Equipment in Greenwood just posted a WARN notice indicating that it will close, eliminating 60 jobs by September 19.

Delta Faucet laying off 95 in Greensburg

2008-03-19T15:46:00.001-04:00

Delta Faucet is laying off 95 workers in Greensburg:

The Delta Faucet factory in Greensburg again has trimmed its workforce, a newspaper reports.

Delta laid off 95 hourly employees in response to the lagging U.S. housing market, which has not improved in the last two years, reports the Daily News.

“The challenging economic times, the downturn in the U.S housing market and softening in demand led Delta Faucet Company to make the difficult decision to layoff hourly staff at the Greensburg facility,” Paula Warner, manager of corporate communications and public relations, told the newspaper. “While this move is unfortunate, this will help Delta maintain its competitive position.”

Warner said while the layoffs aren’t intended to be permanent, the market will dictate whether the workers will return to the plant.

“The affected employees will have callback rights for a period of time; much will depend on market conditions,” she told the newspaper.

With the cut, the plant still has a workforce of about 662 people.

Vera Bradley causes major layoffs

2008-03-15T10:03:00.003-04:00

Three new WARN notices posted this week indicate major layoffs in Fort Wayne. Here's the back story:

Three Fort Wayne companies that provide products to handbag maker Vera Bradley Designs Inc. will close their doors, putting more than 500 people out of work.

The companies' majority owner, Robert Hinty, says the companies lost their contracts to sew handbags and accessories for Vera Bradley.

Hinty told officials he plans to close the last of his operations by the end of September, putting 537 mostly hourly employees out of work.

A Vera Bradley spokeswoman says the company is bringing its domestic sewing work inside the company. She says the company expects to hire more than 500 seamstresses by early 2009.

The company is co-owned by Patricia Miller, the first Secretary of Commerce under Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, serving in 2005.

Fuji Film, Schenker Logistics post WARN notices

2008-03-04T16:44:00.002-05:00

The Department of Workforce Development posted two new WARN notices today:

Fuji Film in Crawfordsville is closing and will eliminate 129 jobs by April 28.

Schenker Logistics in Seymour is closing and will eliminate 81 jobs by May 2.

Superior Essex closing in Vincennes

2008-02-22T20:23:00.003-05:00

Superior Essex Company in Vincennes files a WARN notice that it will close its facility there, eliminating 63 positions by early May.

MetLife closing Indianapolis office

2008-02-11T20:09:00.000-05:00

A WARN notice posted today indicates that MetLife will be closing an Indianapolis office, resulting in the elimination of 89 positions.

The layoffs will take place by April 15.

Clark National closing, SkyWest laying off 15

2008-02-06T13:54:00.001-05:00

Two new WARN notices were posted today:

Clark National, a food service and industrial product distributor in South Bend, is closing, which will result in the elimination of 152 jobs. (The South Bend Tribune reported last week that workers were unsure what the future might hold.)

SkyWest Airlines out of Fort Wayne has announced 15 layoffs.

Rexam Pharma closing in West Lafayette

2008-02-02T15:55:00.000-05:00

Rexam Pharma in West Lafayette has filed a WARN notice indicating that it plans to close its plastic packaging plant, eliminating 39 jobs in the process.

The closure will take place by the end of March.

Rolls-Royce employees await their fate

2008-02-02T15:52:00.000-05:00

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports that cuts may be on the way for employees at Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis:

The more than 4,000 employees at the region's second-largest manufacturer are waiting to learn whether some will lose their jobs. Rolls-Royce Group PLC plans to cut up to 2,300 U.S. and European positions.

The British aerospace company on Jan. 11 said it plans to slash its work force by almost 6 percent among managerial, professional and clerical ranks.

It blames rising raw material costs and the declining value of the U.S. dollar.

First-half 2007 profits of $600 million were roughly half that for the same period in 2006.

Rolls-Royce's primary manufacturing facility in North America is at 2001 S. Tibbs Ave. It’s the largest manufacturer locally behind pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co.

Local executives aren't yet sure what the impact will be here because Rolls-Royce must assess how many employees company-wide may depart voluntarily, said Maria Weber, Indianapolis spokeswoman.

Rolls employs about 8,300 in the United States. As of late last year, Rolls had a total of nearly 40,000 workers, including 23,300 in the United Kingdom.

The corporate job cuts are the second cloud to appear over local operations in less than six months.

Clark Foodservice layoffs possible in South Bend

2008-02-01T05:59:00.001-05:00

The South Bend Tribune reports the possibility of layoffs at Clark Foodservice in South Bend:

While U.S. Foodservice was announcing Thursday that it had entered into an agreement with Clark National Inc., members of Teamsters Local 364 were bracing for a different type of news.

Bob Warnock III, president of Teamsters 364, confirmed Thursday the union would be meeting with company officials to find out about layoffs this morning at Clark Foodservice at 1901 N. Bendix Drive. It is part of a division of Clark National.

“We have 80 union members who will lose their jobs,” Warnock said. “These guys are devastated. Some of these guys have worked their whole lives there.”Warnock said he could not confirm any other numbers about nonunion members’ jobs being lost.

“The company is meeting with the members at Clark Foods at 5 a.m.,” he said. “That’s when company officials will tell us everything and explain things to the drivers and warehouse employees.”

International Automotive to lay off 53 more

2008-01-31T18:05:00.000-05:00

A WARN notice posted today indicates an additional 53 layoffs at International Automotive Components in Edinburgh.

Schneider laying off 30 Indy employees

2008-01-29T10:10:00.001-05:00

Schneider Corp. in Indianapolis is laying off 30 employees:

Indianapolis engineering firm Schneider Corp. plans to lay off 30 employees, blaming the economic downturn.

The third-generation, family-owned company said it needed to make management changes to stay competitive.

Schneider, founded in 1962 has grown significantly in recent years, jumping from $25 million in 2004 to $35 million in 2007.

“The corporation is well-positioned for continued growth,” said Tom Vanneman, Schneider Corp. president, in a statement. “However, we feel it necessary to make certain changes in response to the economic downturn impacting our clients. We have seen a dramatic deterioration in the housing industry and the recent credit crisis has also slowed the commercial and retail sectors.”

Schneider, headquartered at Fort Harrison, has offices in Avon, Carmel, Merrillville and West Lafayette and in the past three years has grown to include offices in North Carolina, Tennessee and Iowa.

Schneider will employ 300 after the job cuts. It did not say what offices would see the cuts.

Schneider specializes in engineering, geographical mapping and land surveying.
It has 500 clients in 22 states. It was one of the companies selected to conduct the $1.8 million state-ordered reassessment of commercial and industrial properties in Marion County this year.

Pfizer to eliminate 660 jobs in Terre Haute

2008-01-28T10:17:00.001-05:00

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer is eliminating 660 jobs at its Terre Haute plant. The layoffs will begin in March:

Pfizer Inc. is eliminating 660 jobs at its plant near Terre Haute following the company's decision to drop the inhaled insulin Exubera drug because of disappointing sales.

The company says it will begin eliminating the jobs in March and all the positions will be gone by the middle of this year. The workers had been on paid leave since production was stopped in October.

Pfizer Global Manufacturing President Nat Ricciardi says the company will work with local and state officials on the future of the plant.

A portion of the plant where other medicines are made will remain open with about 140 employees.

Pfizer had invested more than $300 million in the past five years at the plant.

Monaco Coach axes 200 in Wakarusa

2008-01-28T08:16:00.000-05:00

Monaco Coach, which provided Mitch Daniels with a free RV to drive around the state, has laid off 200 workers in Wakarusa:

RV manufacturer Monaco Coach laid off 200 employees at its operations in northern Indiana.

Pink slips were handed out Friday in Wakarusa, 130 miles from Indianapolis, in a cost-cutting move, WSBT-TV reports.

Director of Corporate Communications Craig Wanichek said the demand for recreational vehicles is slowing down.
"Overall, the RV market has slowed this past year and the consumers out there are facing high fuel prices and some things like that," Wanichek told the television station.
The Oregon-based company employs approximately 5,200 people.

Monaco's lineup ranges from entry-level priced towable RVs to custom-made luxury models under the Monaco, Holiday Rambler, Safari, Beaver, McKenzie, R-Vision and Dodge brand names, its company website says.

Monaco Coach maintains RV service centers in Harrisburg, Ore., Elkhart, and Wildwood, Fla.

Woods Industries leaving Indianapolis

2008-01-25T10:44:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: The WARN notices indicate that this closing will affect 68 workers.

Woods Industries will leave Indianapolis by the end of the second quarter this year, according to Reuters:

Coleman Cable Inc (CCIX.O: Quote, Profile, Research) said it would close and relocate Indianapolis, Indiana distribution and headquarters facilities of Woods Industries Inc, which it acquired in November, as part of a consolidation plan.

The company sees related total net cash expenditure of about $2.4 million to $3.4 million, primarily in facility-closure and severance-related costs.

The consolidation of the facilities with those of Coleman is expected to be largely completed by the end of second quarter of 2008, the company said in a statement.

Superior Essex closing in Vincennes

2008-01-24T10:53:00.000-05:00

Inside INdiana Business reports on a plant closing in Vincennes:

Superior Essex Inc. (NASDAQ: SPSX) says it will close its Vincennes facility as part of a restructuring. The magnet wire manufacturer expects the operations to be phased out by the fourth quarter of this year. The company will instead invest and expand facilities in Tennessee and Mexico. Superior Essex says it expects to save up to $9 million annually through the restructuring. In 2005, the company employed about 200 union workers.

Harman/Becker to close

2008-01-23T10:11:00.001-05:00

Inside INdiana Business reports that a major Martinsville employer will close down by January 2009:

Harman/Becker Automotive Systems, once one of Morgan County's largest employers, will begin a phase out of operations leading to an eventual closure next January.

Last year, Inside INdiana Business reported job cuts at the facility that reduced the workforce to about 340. The plant manufactures automotive speakers and speaker systems.

Universal Forest Products closing two facilities

2008-01-22T08:49:00.000-05:00

Inside INdiana Business reports on two closings that will affect Northern Indiana:

Michigan-based Universal Forest Products, Inc. has announced plans to shut down its operations in Elkhart and Westville. The closings are part of the company's plan to adjust to a downturn in the housing market. The company expects to sell the Indiana facilities, as well as those in Canada, Mississippi and North Carolina. Some operations will be consolidated into the company's location in Granger.

Sallie Mae cuts 117 workers in Fishers

2008-01-17T21:31:00.000-05:00

More bad news from the lending industry:

Lender Sallie Mae laid off 350 workers Thursday, nearly one-third of them in Fishers, citing cost-cutting needs brought on by burgeoning the credit crisis.

“Like many lenders we are feeling a number of pressures because of the tighter credit markets,” said Tom Joyce, a spokesman for Sallie Mae.

The company cut 117 jobs at its Sallie Mae Loan and Service Data Center along I-69 in Fishers and two jobs at a collections center in Muncie.

The cuts in Indiana and around the country represent about 3 percent of its 11,000-employee workforce.

GE closing down Bloomington plant

2008-01-17T20:55:00.000-05:00

This is terrible news for these 900 Bloomington workers:

The General Electric Co. said today that it will close its massive refrigerator plant in Bloomington by the end of 2009, displacing about 900 employees.

The company said the Bloomington operation lost about $45 million last year, thanks to declining side-by-side refrigerator sales and rising material and labor costs.

"Despite continued investment by the company and hard work by the union leadership and our employees, we can no longer effectively compete," Kent Suiters, the plant manager, said in a statement.

The union that represents the plant's 837 hourly employees will have 60 days to offer competitive alternatives to the closure. A final decision on the closing of the 1 million-square-foot plant will be made after those talks, the company said. The plant also employs 59 salaried employees.

The last few years have been rough for GE employees in Indiana. In March 2005, the company laid off 470 workers at the Bloomington refrigerator plant, leaving about 1,000 employees. And in May, the company said it planned to let go of 365 of its 750 employees at an electric motors and transformers plant in Fort Wayne.

As of late this afternoon, GE had not filed notice of the job cuts with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said Jennifer Long, the state's dislocated worker coordinator. Companies have to warn at least 60 days before workers are let go.

Hurst Manufacturing to lay off 55

2008-01-16T14:10:00.001-05:00

Another WARN notice posted today indicates that Hurst Manufacturing in Princeton will be laying off 55 workers by March 3.

Edinburgh auto parts company to lay off 233 workers

2008-01-15T12:07:00.000-05:00

A new WARN notice posted today informs us that International Automotive Components in Edinburgh will lay off 233 workers by mid-March.

Getrag-Chrysler plant on hold

2008-01-10T12:27:00.000-05:00

This doesn't bode well:

Construction of the $530 million Getrag-Chrysler project transmission plant in Tipton County has been suspended indefinitely, the Kokomo Tribune is reporting.

Work at the plant, a joint project between Chrysler and the German manufacturer, stopped on Dec. 21. Officials with the Walbridge-Aldinger Construction Co., the general contractors on the project, said it was a holiday break. Earlier this month they indicated work would resume next Monday, the newspaper reports.

“Until the parties can reach an agreement, we’re at a standstill right now,” said Randy Cyman, personnel director for Getrag, handling the Tipton development. “We’re in discussions with Chrysler right now. ... I’m confident the parties will come to the right decisions.”
The Getrag-Chrysler project is a venture that would build dual-clutch transmissions in Tipton, off Ind. 28 and U.S. 31. To date, site work for the plant includes a new road to the plant, a concrete foundation and portions of a frame for the main structure.

The plant is scheduled to be finished in 2009 and employ approximately 1,400 people: 1,170 at the plant and 230 in supporting jobs in Kokomo.

Officials with the Indiana Economic Development Corp. acknowledged the current situation between the two corporations.

“Our team has been in touch with Getrag and Chrysler. We all remain very optimistic that the project will continue as scheduled,” IEDC spokesman Mitch Frazier told the Tribune.

Lauth lays off 80 employees, 54 in Indy

2008-01-10T12:25:00.001-05:00

Indianapolis-based developer Lauth Group laid off 80 people nationwide today, including 54 at its headquarters:

Developer Lauth Group Inc. today laid off 80 employees -- about 18 percent of its nationwide work force -- including 54 at its Indianapolis headquarters.

The company described the move as part of a 'realignment' that will help the nation�s 13th-largest developer continue to grow. About 90 percent of Lauth's business is outside Indiana. The company had 450 employees prior to the layoffs.

Most of the eliminated positions are in construction and engineering services, areas in which Lauth now plans to increase its reliance on third parties. The company has about 30 projects totaling 7 million square feet under construction.

'These changes make us better positioned to meet the needs of our clients and post double-digit volume growth in 2008 despite a slowing economy,' Lauth CEO Robert Lauth said in a statement.

Colgate, Macy's and Superior Sample announce layoffs

2008-01-08T17:44:00.001-05:00

The Department of Workforce Development has posted three new WARN notices:

Colgate Palmolive offers its third revision of earlier layoffs. This time, the Jeffersonville plant announces the elimination of 40 positions.

Macy's at Washington Square in Indianapolis will be laying off 103 workers by March 1.

And the Superior Sample Company in Ligonier will close by March 10, leaving 31 workers unemployed.

Three new WARN notices posted

2007-12-26T18:10:00.001-05:00

The Department of Workforce Development posted three new WARN notices today:

Florida-based IDEAL Merchandising will lay off 30 sales representatives statewide by the end of January.

Trinity Health in San Pierre will eliminate 158 positions by the end of February.

Atwood Mobile Products will eliminate 152 positions at its Elkhart location by late February or mid-March. (This round of layoffs was reported by the mainstream media earlier this month. Last December, Atwood announced it was axing 304 positions at its LaGrange facility.)

MasterBrand Cabinets to cut 260 jobs

2007-12-20T09:39:00.000-05:00

Layoffs at a Southern Indiana cabinet maker will effect 260 workers next month:

MasterBrand Cabinets plans to lay off 260 employees from its plants in Jasper, Huntingburg and Ferdinand in southwest Indiana's DuBois County.

Company officials say the cuts are being made so the company could remain competitive. The layoffs will take effect next month.

MasterBrand announced this month that it will close its facility in Cumberland County, Tenn., in February.

The company has been producing cabinets in Dubois County since 1954. It manufactures 13 brands, including Aristokraft and Decora.

Atwood Mobile Products to close Elkhart factory

2007-12-16T19:53:00.000-05:00

A mobile home manufacturer in Northern Indiana will close next year, eliminating 152 jobs:

Atwood Mobile Products LLC plans to close a northern Indiana factory early next year in a move that it said would cut 152 jobs.

The company is phasing out the line of recreational vehicle, shuttle bus and horse trailer windows made at one of its four Elkhart plants because of an "exceptionally competitive" market, said Kip Ellis, Atwood's vice president of sales and marketing.

Atwood officials told employees about the decision on Friday. Their jobs will continue for at least 60 days, with the plant closure expected to take place by the end of March.

Elkhart-based Atwood plans to continue operations at three other plants in the city about 20 miles east of South Bend.

Atwood sold its Creation Windows truck cap business two months ago to Starquest Products of Goshen, which then cut nearly 50 jobs.

Atwood manufactures windows and doors, specialty glass, hardware, appliances and electronics for the RV, specialty vehicle and manufactured housing industries. It operates nine factories in five states and has about 1,900 employees.

Lilly to continue cutting jobs

2007-12-06T14:48:00.001-05:00

More troubling news from the pharmaceutical industry, this time from one of Indiana's largest and most respected employers:

Eli Lilly and Co. CEO Sidney Taurel says the company will continue reducing its work force - even through some job cuts - as the entire pharmaceutical industry tries to retool for a future without the kinds of mega-blockbusters that sustained it for decades.

"We're going to continue, year after year, with great intensity, to reduce our head count, taking advantage mostly of attrition, some functional actions where necessary," Taurel said in a television interview this morning with Bloomberg News.

In a separate interview with The Wall Street Journal, Taurel said the pharmaceutical industry is "doomed" if it doesn't change the way it does business. He explained to analysts this morning that he meant drugmakers need to tailor their products to small groups of patients, thereby improving their "value proposition" for health insurers, doctors and patients.

He also outlined to investors this morning how Lilly continues to construct a "network" of contract scientists, sales people and third-party firms to make itself more nimble and more efficient.

Taurel said Lilly has already trimmed its work force by 5,000 people - or 11 percent- since mid-2004, mostly through attrition. He argued that Lilly is keeping up with other drugmakers even though it has made no "splashy announcements" about cutting its work force.

New York-based Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. announced yesterday that it will trim 4,300 workers and close half its manufacturing plants by 2010.

Bristol-Myers layoffs may affect Indiana

2007-12-05T21:16:00.001-05:00

This Associated Press story could spell trouble for some Hoosier workers:

Pharmaceuticals maker Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. on Wednesday said it would lay off about 4,300 employees and close more than half of its manufacturing plants, part of a broad restructuring aimed at cost savings of $1.5 billion by 2010.

The company, whose best-selling product is the anticoagulant Plavix, also lowered its 2007 earnings guidance said it would spin off its medical imaging business. Bristol-Myers is also reviewing options for ConvaTec, a wound care products supplier, and its Evansville, Ind.-based Mead Johnson Nutritionals business.

"It is difficult to see our valued colleagues leave the company, but right-sizing our workforce across all areas is critical to achieving our productivity goals and enhancing the competitive position of the company," Chief Executive James Cornelius said in a statement.

The job cuts represent 10 percent of the staff and will largely be made in 2008 and 2009, the company said. The company also said it will close more than 50 percent of its manufacturing facilities by the end of 2010.

Colgate to close before Christmas

2007-12-02T15:33:00.000-05:00

The end is near for workers at the Colgate-Palmolive plant in Clarksville:

In three weeks, the plant will shut down its final production lines, eliminating about 115 of the remaining 200 or so jobs there just days before Christmas, company officials said.

Although the closing was announced in October 2005, many of the plant's remaining workers are struggling with the finality of it, said Juanita Sneed, president of Local 15C of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

"When it gets here, that's when it hits home," she said of the closing.

The closing of Colgate _ a mainstay of the Clarksville economy for more than 80 years _ will hit hard throughout the area, as local governments and schools lose an important tax base, and neighboring businesses lose regular customers.

At its peak in the mid-1960s, Clarksville's Colgate-Palmolive plant was filled with some 1,500 workers who made toothpaste, shaving cream and cleansers.

With hundreds of manufacturing jobs that paid an average of $22 an hour, Colgate has been "an important part of the community," said Town Council president Paul Kraft.

Overall, the company paid more than $791,000 in property taxes to Clark County and other local taxing jurisdictions in 2006.

Town Council member Gregg Isgrigg said the council has tried to hold down spending and keep its budgets tight with the approaching shutdown. But he said the closing "is definitely a concern."

Part of that concern stems from uncertainty about the future of the plant's 52-acre site.

In a statement, Colgate said the property remains on the market through Harry K. Moore Co. It initially was being offered for about $13 million.

Leggett & Platt to lay off 49 workers

2007-11-17T12:40:00.001-05:00

The Department of Workforce Development posts a WARN notice that affects 49 workers at Leggett & Platt, a Missouri-based furniture manufacturer in Munster.

It appears to be a closure, and it will take effect Jan. 14.

M&I Bank, Gerber Plumbing to lay off almost 200 workers

2007-11-13T15:46:00.001-05:00

The Department of Workforce Development posted two new WARN notices today:

It looks like Marshall and Isley Bank (M&I) in Greenwood is closing down, a move that will affect 121 workers.

Also, Gerber Plumbing Fixtures in Kokomo has issued a closure notice affecting 69 workers.

Both notices take effect in the first week of 2008.

CTS to eliminate 103 positions by end of year

2007-11-13T09:39:00.000-05:00

Inside INdiana Business reports that CTS Corp. in Elkhart will eliminate 103 positions during the fourth quarter of this year:

CTS Corporation (NYSE:CTS) today announced plans to realign certain manufacturing operations and eliminate approximately 103 net positions during the fourth quarter 2007. The realignment is intended to create synergies by further enhancing CTS’ shared services model to include manufacturing support functions at its locations that serve more than one business. In addition, certain production lines are slated for transfer to better serve key customers and leverage existing capacity. These actions will result in a pre-tax restructuring charge and related costs of approximately $3.0 to $3.5 million with the majority representing severance-related expense.

Approximately $2.8 million of the total expected cost is anticipated to be taken in the fourth quarter of 2007, with the remainder to be recorded in the first quarter 2008. Breakeven on the realignment is expected in about one year, with annualized pre-tax savings projected to approximate the cost of the actions.

Downsizing, layoffs rip lives apart

2007-11-10T07:55:00.000-05:00

The Indianapolis Star takes a touching, personal look at the kind of job loss that's wrecking Indiana's economy and the lives of those who live here:

One month ago, Edith Buckley rented a truck, packed up her home and transferred from Delphi’s plant in Milwaukee to another in Kokomo, expecting to root herself in Central Indiana.

Friday, she was let go. Permanently.

Welcome to the new world of the downsizing Detroit auto industry.

“What happened to the ethics of companies?” asked Buckley, 52, a single mother who says she has an ailing kidney. “I took the job because I didn’t have health insurance. Now I don’t know if I can find work again at my age and get insurance.”

Buckley was laid off with 54 other Delphi Kokomo autoworkers Friday, many of whom also relocated in October from Milwaukee. The layoff follows the procedure set in the United Auto Workers union contract, the company said, with the newest Delphi hires discharged first. Buckley was hired almost one year ago at Delphi Milwaukee.

What’s happening in Kokomo, where Delphi employs about 4,300, stands out as an example of wrenching change.

As sales fall, Chrysler will have to make cuts next year

2007-11-09T14:51:00.000-05:00

The Indianapolis Star reports that Chrysler in Kokomo expects proportional layoffs next year:

Chrysler expects limited layoffs will occur in Kokomo next year as auto sales volumes fall, Chrysler manufacturing executive Richard Chow-Wah said today.

Chow-Wah, scheduled to address the Economic Club of Indianapolis today, said in an interview that layoffs in Kokomo will be proportional to volume reductions for Chrysler. That means if Chrysler sales fall 10 percent, then layoffs could approach 10 percent of the Kokomo workforce.

Chrysler employs about 5,000 autoworkers at its transmission complex in Kokomo. The automaker this year accounts for about 12 percent of the U.S. vehicle market. Automakers are on pace this year to sell about 16.5 million vehicles, down 2.6 percent from last year.

Delphi axes 55 autoworkers in Kokomo

2007-11-09T14:49:00.000-05:00

Delphi is laying off 55 workers today at its Kokomo location:

Michigan automotive supplier Delphi will lay off 55 autoworkers today in Kokomo as it reduces production volumes to match orders, Delphi spokesman Milton Beech said.

Delphi employs 4,300 people in Kokomo, its electronics headquarters.

Auto-parts suppliers are cutting back production throughout the nation, expecting
auto sales will decline in 2008. Automakers are on pace to sell 16.5 million cars and trucks this year, down 2.6 percent from 2006.

End of the road for 300 Visteon workers in Connersville

2007-11-09T09:16:00.000-05:00

The Richmond Palladium-Item keeps us up-to-date on the layoffs at Visteon in Connersville:

Nearly half the remaining workers at the Visteon Corp. plant will lose their jobs today in the latest round of layoffs, union members say.

The Web site for the IUE-CWA LOCAL No. 919 union states that the company told union officials that approximately 300 people would be laid off.

The company planned to close the factory Sept. 14 when the union contract ended, but both sides agreed on an extension.

Visteon employs around 700 people at the auto parts plant, which has decreased from 890 employees when it was announced in February the plant was closing.

The factory, which at one point employed 3,600 people, produces vehicle heating and cooling systems.

Amerimax Building Products to close down?

2007-11-07T20:58:00.001-05:00

The Department of Workforce Development posts a WARN notice today indicating that 40 workers at Amerimax Building Products in Bristol are in jeopardy of losing their jobs by the end of the year. It looks like the fabricated metal products company is closing down.

Workers at Fort Wayne airport losing jobs

2007-10-31T09:28:00.000-04:00

The Associated Press reports that 300 workers are losing their jobs at the Fort Wayne International Airport:

Kitty Hawk has closed its sorting facility at Fort Wayne International Airport, eliminating about 300 jobs. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-October. Dallas-based Kitty Hawk will continue to operate air cargo charter operations, but that was not part of its business at Fort Wayne, a spokesman said.

GDX to close Wabash facility, 800 workers to lose jobs

2007-10-22T16:07:00.000-04:00

Bad news for workers at GDS International Holdings in Wabash:

Michigan-based GDX International Holdings Ltd. says it is being acquired by MAPS Holdings, Inc. and plans to close its Wabash facility. The Wabash Plain Dealer is reporting that up to 800 workers are expected to lose their jobs beginning early next month. Employees were notified on Friday. The newspaper says that GDX Automotive opened in Wabash in 1936.

GDX has told workers at the plant that the first jobs will be cut on November 9, with the plant closure expected on or around November 30.

GDX is a global supplier and manufacturer of sealing systems and glass encapsulation products for the automotive sector.

Pfizer idles 600 workers near Terre Haute

2007-10-19T15:11:00.001-04:00

Six hundred workers at a Pfizer plant near Terre Haute are now left wondering about their employment future:

In a surprising move that raises questions about a similar product under development at Eli Lilly and Co., drug maker Pfizer is pulling the plug on its inhaled insulin after barely a year on the market, citing disappointing sales.

Pfizer said Thursday it will shut down production immediately at its plant near Terre Haute and place 600 of the factory's 750 workers on paid leave while it ponders the plant's future. The factory will continue to make several antibiotics, company spokesman Richard Chambers said, but he added it is unclear whether Pfizer will transfer any other production to the plant.

The company's decision was a huge blow to the work force and the city, which counts on Pfizer as one of its largest employers. Pfizer has spent about $300 million over the past five years to upgrade it and hired hundreds of workers to help make the inhaled insulin. The company has owned the plant nearly 60 years.

"Pfizer has been a fixture in this community for a long time," said Peter Ciancone, a spokesman for Mayor Kevin Burke. "Their investment in that plant was no small thing."

Indiana lost 12,300 jobs last month

2007-10-19T15:09:00.000-04:00

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers for September 2007 came out this morning. Indiana lost the most jobs of any state:

In September, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 26 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 23 states, and was unchanged in one state (Delaware). The largest over-the-month increases in the levels of employment occurred in Texas (+23,100), California (+9,300), New York (+8,400), North Carolina (+5,700), and Georgia (+5,500). Wyoming reported the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+0.7 percent), followed by Hawaii (+0.6
percent), West Virginia (+0.4 percent),and the District of Columbia and Iowa (+0.3 percent each). The largest over-the- month decreases in employment were recorded in Indiana (-12,300), Michigan (-10,600), Kansas (-6,500), Minnesota (-6,300), and Maryland (-4,400). New Hampshire experienced the largest over-the-month percentage decrease in employment (-0.6 percent), followed by Kansas (-0.5 percent), Indiana (-0.4 percent), and Nebraska (-0.3 percent).

Select Snacks to close, lay off 245 workers

2007-10-18T14:28:00.000-04:00

The Department of Workforce Development updates its WARN page with a notice that Select Snacks Inc. in Jeffersonville will be closing down and laying off 245 employees before the end of the year.

A story in the New Albany Tribune last week indicates that the company had not made up its mind whether to close down:

During a conference call with media representatives on Friday morning, Ubiquity President and CEO Jeffrey Dunn said: "During the transition period, we will retain the majority of positions in Jays facility in Chicago and Select's facilities in Jeffersonville, as well as in our Midwest distribution network. "Some job losses are inevitable, but we cannot estimate job losses at this time. Following the completion of the sale, operating and employment decisions are up to the buyer."

Ubiquity purchased the Jeffersonville facility, formerly known as Wyandott Inc., early last year.

"You just hope for the best," said Mayor Rob Waiz. "We'll try to help them in any way we can as a city."

Toll Brothers to cut 20 workers in Knox

2007-10-13T08:19:00.000-04:00

Toll Brothers is laying off a quarter of its staff in Knox. Mitch Daniels' spokeswoman calls the move a "disappointment for the governor."

Toll Brothers Inc. will lay off about a quarter of its production staff in Knox. The plant employs about 80 people, and once the layoffs take effect, they will be left with 60.
Manfred Marotta, vice president of Toll Brothers, said the cuts were due to continuing slow home sales in Illinois and Michigan, but said that as soon as the housing market turns around he will be adding people to the plant.
"While this is a delay in our original projections for this site, we still feel confident that we will hit those numbers some time in the future," Marotta said in an e-mail sent to the Knox plant manager.
When the Knox plant opened for business in May 2006, they promised the plant would employ close to 300 people from Northwest Indiana and surrounding areas with wages between $16 and $17 per hour on average.
But shortly after they opened, the housing market dived and Toll Brothers was hit hard.
In August, their third-quarter profit plunged nearly 85 percent and cancellations for that quarter rose to nearly 24 percent, the highest rate in the 21 years the company has been public.
During the same period, Gov. Mitch Daniels visited the Knox site and asked Plant Manager Brian Trappe why only 80 people were employed in the 90,000-square-foot distribution center.
Trappe told him he hoped to hired the remainder of the employees as soon as the housing slump turned itself around.
Daniels was unavailable for comment on Friday, but his spokeswoman, Jane Jankowski, said she was upset to hear about the layoffs.
"Any company that's having difficulties is a disappointment for the governor," Jankowski said.

Kokomo pottery company to close in January

2007-10-11T09:31:00.000-04:00

Inside INdiana Business reports that another time-tested Hoosier company will be shutting its doors in January:

Kokomo Sanitary Pottery has announced it will shut down by January, ending nearly 150 jobs. The Kokomo Tribune is reporting that Globe Union Industrial Corp., which purchased the company in 2003, says the company can no longer meet the prices of competitors.

The company was founded in 1932 by Max Gerber. It employs 125 hourly workers and 25 salaried employees.

The company's union contract will likely be extended until January 3.

Layoffs in the offing at Bemis?

2007-10-09T14:12:00.000-04:00

The Terre Haute Tribune-Star and Inside INdiana Business report on possible layoffs at Bemis:

Bemis Company, Inc. may be laying off some of its North American workforce. The Terre Haute Tribune-Star reports that the company employs more than 1,000 people in Terre Haute. The company says it had lower-than-expected sales in the third quarter of this year and may need to adjust employment levels.

However, officials say it's too soon to know how many jobs will be cut. They say lower demand for consumer products wrapped in packaging made by Bemis is behind the disappointing sales figures.

In May, Bemis said it was investing $21 million in new equipment and adding about 29 new jobs at its Terre Haute facility.

Cummins to lay off 100 temporary workers

2007-10-08T13:55:00.000-04:00

Even historically strong Hoosier companies are suffering in the state's current lackluster economy:

Cummins Inc. is laying off about 100 temporary workers from a Bartholomew County plant for at least for the rest of October.

The Columbus-based engine maker says the layoffs from the plant near Walesboro were needed because Chrysler has decided to temporarily halt production of Dodge Rams. The 6.7-liter Dodge Ram diesel engine is produced exclusively at Cummins Midrange Engine Plant.

Cummins spokeswoman Janet Williams says the layoffs will begin Monday and be re-evaluated at the end of the month. Williams says Chrysler has told Cummins that it will halt production in three of the next four weeks because of a general weakening in the market.

Affinia to close, lay off 190 workers by mid-2008

2007-10-07T09:19:00.000-04:00

An auto parts maker in Northern Indiana will close, eliminating 190 local jobs:

Auto parts maker Affinia Group Inc. has decided to close its northern Indiana factory and cut about 190 jobs.

The company chose to keep an Oklahoma plant open despite efforts by city officials to work with Affinia to avoid the factory closing, Mayor Jeff Rea said.

Affinia officials began talking with Mishawaka leaders months ago as it began considering whether to consolidate the plants. Rea, however, said it did not find out about Affinia's decision until he was called by a South Bend Tribune reporter.

"We feel a little burned," Rea said Friday. "We invested a lot of time with them."
Affinia announced it would close the chassis products manufacturing and packaging facility, which is a former Dana Corp. plant, by mid-2008.

Union Tank Car lays off 82 in East Chicago

2007-10-03T13:48:00.001-04:00

The Times of Northwest Indiana reports that Union Tank Car in East Chicago laid off 82 workers on Friday:

Union Tank Car cut its work force by about 15 percent recently as orders for its railroad units waned, a company official said.

The company laid off 82 hourly workers Friday, said company spokesman Bruce Winslow. They are members of Local 524 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers union."(It is) due to the cyclical nature of our business," Winslow said. "

Production is off because the demand for tank cars is waning. We built tank cars at record rates for several years in a row and we're catching up with our orders."

The layoff was the second in 60 days, said Winslow, who didn't have information of the number of workers whose jobs were cut during the first of the layoffs. He called the layoffs "pretty normal" for the industry.

Int'l Automotive Components to shutter Edinburgh plant

2007-10-02T15:24:00.000-04:00

Inside INdiana Business reports on an Edinburgh plant closing that will result in 400 layoffs by the second quarter of next year:

International Automotive Components Group North America says it will close its manufacturing plant in Edinburgh by the second quarter of 2008. The move will put about 400 people out of work. A source familiar with negotiations tells Inside INdiana Business the decision is a result of an "overcapacity issue" at the Johnson County plant, which supplies injection molded components to General Motors and Chrysler.

ATA puts 94 pilots on notice

2007-09-27T15:27:00.000-04:00

The Department of Workforce Development posts a WARN notice stating that 94 ATA pilots will be laid off by December 1 of this year.

(Note: The WARN notice page has been moved, so prior links to it will not function properly. If you track layoffs, please update your bookmarks to reflect this change.)

Child Craft may lay off 55 by September 2009

2007-09-25T14:17:00.000-04:00

More jobs may be leaving Indiana soon:

Child Craft Industries, a family owned company that has made cribs and other children's furniture for nearly a century, may lay off most of its remaining work force by fall 2009, a company official said.

Mark Suvak, Child Craft vice president and chief financial officer, said Tuesday the company is working "desperately" to avoid laying off most of the plant's 55 workers by 2009, but that those job cuts are a possibility by September 2009.

Child Craft, founded in Salem in 1911, makes wooden baby cribs, changing tables and children's bedroom furniture that's sold through Costco, Target and other retailers.

Suvak said the company had moved its furniture production to Asia and Honduras in recent years and the remaining workers at the New Salisbury plant about 15 miles west of Louisville, Ky., perform light finishing work on products, packaging and distribution.

"All of our production right now is coming primarily from Asia or Honduras and that continues to be the plan given that it's cost prohibitive to manufacturer in the state," he said.

Parker Hannifin to cut 100 jobs in New Haven

2007-09-25T08:47:00.001-04:00

Parker Hannifin in New Haven is eliminating 100 jobs, according to the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:

Parker Hannifin Corp. is eliminating 100 jobs at its New Haven plant because of the slow residential housing market and lower customer demand.

The 100 affected employees, who are not represented by a union, have been notified about the cuts and will be let go Friday, said Brad Lichtenberger, operations manager for the climate systems division of Parker Hannifin. The job cuts are permanent, Lichtenberger said.

Although the company is headquartered in Cleveland, the climate systems division is based in New Haven. After the cuts Friday, Lichtenberger said the New Haven operations will employ 820, including 720 hourly employees.

Cenveo to lay off 51 in Indianapolis

2007-09-21T10:51:00.001-04:00

Cenveo Corp. posts a WARN notice today announcing the elimination of 51 commercial printing jobs in Indianapolis.

NovaStar, ATA submit WARN notices

2007-09-10T14:48:00.001-04:00

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has posted two WARN notices today.

The first indicates that NovaStar Mortgage in Carmel will lay off 68 employees starting immediately.

The second appears to be an update from a prior notice that ATA Airlines will lay off 39 workers by the end of October.

Richmond cabinet maker cutting 56 jobs

2007-09-07T09:08:00.000-04:00

MasterBrand is cutting jobs in Richmond:

MasterBrand Cabinets Inc., of Richmond will eliminate its entire third-shift operations effective Sept. 14.

Fifty-six of the 293 employees at the Richmond location, 701 S. N St., were notified Wednesday morning, said Brenda Rosalez, manager for corporate communications.

MasterBrand is North America's second-largest maker of bath and kitchen cabinetry, she said.
"It was based on the industry and we had to make some difficult decisions," Rosalez said. "Anything you see regarding dynamics, whether or not it's up or down, affects our centers."

Besides making cabinets, the third shift's duties often varied, she said.

The company's 30-plus manufacturing and distribution plants across North America are also facing layoffs, Rosalez said. She would not comment on the other affected plants.

MasterBrand, which moved to Wayne County in 1998, plans to keep a second-shift maintenance crew in hopes of retaining some employees, she said.

"It would not be prudent to speculate on the future," Rosalez said about the number of employees the company wants to retain.

"We hope we are able to improve, but on industry dynamics it's something we would not like to speculate on."

Netnet to cut 320 jobs in Indy

2007-09-06T15:07:00.000-04:00

More bad news from the lending industry:

Student loan company Nelnet plans to eliminate 400 jobs nationwide as part of a plan to cut its expenses by at least $25 million annually.

The Lincoln, Nebraska-based company says it will close five loan offices and significantly reduce its Indianapolis customer support operations from 320 people to about 55. It employees 3,300 nationwide.

Nelnet says it is making the changes because new rules Congress is considering will make the student loan business less profitable.

But as part of the restructuring, Nelnet's Lincoln headquarters may gain about 100 positions by the end of the year.

Colgate cuts another 49 works prior to closing

2007-09-06T11:32:00.000-04:00

The layoffs continue at the Colgate plant in Clarksville, which will close down early next year. The Louisville Courier-Journal reports:

The Colgate-Palmolive Co. will eliminate 49 jobs at its Clarksville plant Oct. 26.

The move, the company said in a letter to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, is another step in its phased shutdown of the toothpaste plant. The company employed 460 workers when plans were announced for the closure in 2006.

Currently, about 200 people work at the plant, said Juanita Sneed, president of Local 15 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Production is still expected to end in December. A small group of employees will be retained for a cleanup and final shutdown by April, she said.

Visteon delays closing for three months

2007-09-04T16:30:00.000-04:00

This is what passes for good economic news in Indiana these days:

Some Visteon Corp. employees who were told their eastern Indiana factory would close in September actually have three more months of work left.

The Michigan-based autoparts maker is gradually stopping production at its Connersville plant as it adjusts to customer demand. It plans a round of job cuts in September and another in November.

"By the end of December, we expect to close the plant," Visteon spokesman Jim Fisher said.

The company originally told employees it would close Sept. 14, the date a union contract ends. But the company and union then agreed to a contract extension, said John Pavy, an employee and union president at the factory.

Visteon currently employs about 700 people at the factory. That's down from 890 employees when it announced the closing in February and far below the 3,600 people it employed at its peak.

The factory in Connersville, about 60 miles from Indianapolis, produces vehicle heating and cooling systems.

Visteon plans to cut about 80 jobs in mid-September when it wraps up compressor production and reduces radiator and evaporator lines. In November, Visteon will cut about 200 more jobs.

"From that point on, it will be gradually phased out as we complete production," Fisher said.

Colgate revises layoffs, 337 Caterpillar workers on the brink

2007-08-30T11:24:00.001-04:00

Two new WARN notices have been posted today.

The first is a revised notice affecting 49 workers at Colgate Palmolive in Jeffersonville.

The second announces the layoff of 337 workers at Caterpillar Logistics Services in Lebanon.

Next Day Gourmet to lay off 63 workers

2007-08-26T16:19:00.000-04:00

Next Day Gourmet in Indianapolis will lay off 63 workers starting in November, according to a WARN notice posted by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

HSBC closing its Carmel office, 600 jobs lost

2007-08-22T09:15:00.000-04:00

Bad news for Central Indiana:

About 600 workers will be out of jobs by June after banking giant HSBC announced Tuesday that it will close its Carmel office because of a decline in its mortgage business.

London-based HSBC told employees late last week it would close its Carmel office near the Meridian corridor, company spokesman Michael Trevino said. That office, which opened in 2000 and had experienced steady growth since, specializes in nationwide mortgage sales and employs a smaller underwriting and collections staff.

"What we're trying to do is match our capacity to business volumes," Trevino said, "particularly in the mortgage services business."

Employees will be given the opportunity to apply for other jobs within HSBC or be offered a severance package, Trevino said.

Carmel Mayor Jim Brainard was surprised to learn the news Tuesday night. Fortunately, he said, Carmel has a long track record of attracting high-paying jobs along its Meridian corridor.

"This is regrettable, but we have a lot of other businesses moving into Carmel," Brainard said. "This is the nature of our system, and we're sure there will be other companies that will come in and replace these jobs."

Fujitsu announces 126 layoffs in Rushville

2007-08-21T17:53:00.000-04:00

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development posts a WARN notice from Fujitsu Ten Corp. of America announcing layoffs that will affect 126 audio/video manufacturing workers.

According to the notice, the layoffs will begin mid-October.

Acraline to lay off 130 in Tipton

2007-08-16T15:30:00.000-04:00

Acraline Products in Tipton has filed a WARN notice that it plans to close its the plant and lay off 130 sheet metal fabricating workers beginning in early November.

Inside INdiana Business reports:

Doncasters Group Limited says it plans to close its Acraline operation in Tipton, eliminating 130 jobs beginning in November. The company says it is moving production to California to consolidate operations.

Elkhart Lumber closing, 140 to lose jobs

2007-08-15T10:12:00.000-04:00

Elkhart Lumber is closing after 80 years:

Two lumber production facilities in Elkhart are scheduled to close this fall. The Elkhart Truth is reporting the closure of Banks Lumber will result in the loss of 140 jobs. The company had operated in Elkhart for 80 years, providing wood products to the manufactured housing, mobile office, modular and recreational vehicle industries.

Terre Haute hospital to close October 4

2007-08-08T11:12:00.001-04:00

HealthSouth Hospital in Terre Haute is closing, according to a recently posted WARN notice and this blurb from Inside INdiana Business:

Officials at HealthSouth Hospital of Terre Haute have notified 105 employees that the facility will close on October 4. The Terre Haute Tribune-Star is reporting that the 60-bed long-term acute care hospital serves those who require extended care after a stay at a traditional hospital.

Local florist leaving town

2007-08-08T09:06:00.000-04:00

Hill Floral Products is shutting two Indiana locations:

Hill Floral Products is closing four of its stores nationally, including one in Richmond and in Indianapolis.

Hills' Floral of Indianapolis, at 930 W. 16th St., has 14 employees that will be laid off, according to store employees who spoke by phone today.

The Indy location, which specialized in selling to retailers or floral-related businesses, has been on West 16th Street since 1971 after formerly being in Downtown Indianapolis for decades, said Chuck Kloss, a flower-buyer who has been employed there for 31 years.

"It's just economics. It's been a tough business for the last 15 years," Kloss said.

The store's last day will be this Friday.

The Palladium-Item of Richmond also reported on the closures today.

The newspaper said Hill Floral Products had between 600-700 employees nationally in 2005 and provides flowers sold by florists, supermarkets and in more than 200 Sam's Clubs, where the company has the floral department leases.

Locations in Toledo, Ohio, and Chattanooga, Tenn., will also close, the paper reported.

American Mortgage gives 155 Fort Wayne workers the boot

2007-08-03T11:07:00.000-04:00

American Mortgage in Fort Wayne notified 155 employees yesterday that they will be out of work immediately.

American Home Mortgage Investment Corp.’s sharp downward spiral is expected to end today, one day after the New York-based company e-mailed the news of its demise to employees.

About 155 local workers are among those losing their jobs.

An e-mail sent at 2:50 p.m. Thursday from American Home Mortgage founder Michael Strauss said in part: “Unfortunately, the market conditions in both the secondary mortgage market as well as the national real estate market have deteriorated to the point that our business is no longer viable.

“What this means for most of our employees is that Friday, August 2, 2007, will be your last day of employment. Detailed information regarding payroll, benefits and other human resource related matter will be available Friday morning for distribution in the office.”

Laidlaw Educational Services laying off 270 bus drivers

2007-08-02T16:37:00.000-04:00

Laidlaw Educational Services files a WARN notice with the Department of Workforce Development. It looks like they're laying off 270 school bus drivers in Gary effective August 22.

Plasmatronics hits a few bumps

2007-07-30T11:36:00.000-04:00

The Governor's much-heralded Plasmatronics announcement is running into trouble in Northwest Indiana:

It's been more than three months since a high-tech firm announced it would move to Crown Point and create good-paying jobs.

The news of New York-based Plasmatronics landing in Crown Point was trumpeted in late April in a public ceremony.

Gov. Mitch Daniels gave the company high praise, lauding its potential to grow "perhaps explosively," as he stood in the Old Courthouse alongside Crown Point mayor Dan Klein and Plasmatronics' CEO Linda Decker.

The company chose Crown Point for its location as well as for the incentives, Decker said. The incentives package includes a $1.23 million tax credit from the state's Economic Development Corp., $95,000 in grants and a Crown Point $500,000 loan from taxes generated from the city's tax increment financing district.

But despite the successful presentation, the ensuing process in Crown Point has been anything but a smooth ride.

It was only in recent days that Plasmatronics received its first loan -- $73,000-- from the Crown Point Economic Development Corp.

The money from the state and city is being disbursed in installments, not in a lump sum, as the company achieves performance standards.

Monaco Coach to lay off 317 in Elkhart

2007-07-25T10:39:00.000-04:00

The Indiana Department of Workforce Development posts a WARN notice for Monaco Coach in Elkhart. It looks like the company will lay off 317 workers by Sept. 20.

Monaco Coach also released its quarterly earnings statement today:

Second quarter 2007 revenues were $335.3 million, up 4.4% compared to $321.3 million in revenues for the second quarter of 2006. The Company reported a higher gross profit of $36.6 million for the second quarter of 2007, compared to $30.5 million a year ago. Operating income for the second quarter of 2007 was $8.7 million, compared to $793,000 for the second quarter of 2006. Net income for the second quarter of 2007 was $4.5 million, compared to $372,000 a year ago. For the second quarter of 2007, diluted earnings per share were $0.15 versus $0.01 for the same period last year.

For the six months ended June 30, 2007, revenues were $657.6 million, compared to $706.4 million for the first half of 2006. The Company reported net income of $6.0 million for the recent six-month period, compared to $8.7 million for the same period in 2006. Earnings per share on a diluted basis for the first six months of 2007 were $0.20, compared to $0.29 for the same period last year.

Morocco auto parts plan to close by year's end

2007-07-25T09:42:00.000-04:00

An automotive parts plan in Northwest Indiana is closing down to be closer to its customers in China:

Intec, a manufacturer of automotive components, announced Monday it will be closing its flagship Morocco facility by year's end.

"We need to be close to our customers and as they move to China, so we are moving too," said president Steve Pearlman. "This epitomizes the shift in the automobile industry."

Employees at the location of 54 years will be laid off in phases. Pearlman said 160 to 165 will lose their jobs.

"This will be devastating to us here in Morocco," said Larry Bingham, town board vice president. "We are at a time when Morocco's potential was its highest in more over 40 years for growth in attraction. It hurts."

Pearlman's father chose Morocco, about 56 miles northwest of Lafayette, to build a plant in 1953. The executive offices are based in Palatine, Ill.

While Intec has grown globally it has been difficult to maintain cost-effective manufacturing in Indiana, Pearlman said. The automotive manufacturer Delphi, Intec's biggest customer, recently announced plans to close 28 of its 32 facilities.

The products now manufactured in Morocco will be transferred to Intec's facilities in Palatine, as well as Guaymas, Mexico, and a new plant being built in Changzhou, China. Intec has other manufacturing facilities in Singapore and the Chinese cities of Shanghai and Tianjin.

2007-07-10T13:22:00.000-04:00

Kelsie's Food and Dairy is backing out of a deal in Wayne County, according to the Richmond Palladium-Item:

Kelsie’s Food and Dairy is apparently not coming to Wayne County with its promised $18 million processing plant, its 200 jobs and its $3.54 million annual payroll.

The Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County announced Monday that the Minnesota-based company had not fulfilled terms of its contract with the EDC and therefore would forfeit a $10,000 deposit on 26 acres of land held locally for the company.

“In essence the contract is self-terminated,” said EDC board president John Zetzl. “The contract with them became null and void.”

Zetzl said the EDC’s development agreement with Kelsie’s promised money for employee training and other incentives as long as Kelsie’s performed certain obligations within 540 days.

Time ran out in mid-May and Zetzl said he sent Kelsie’s owner Ray Whitmore a letter asking if the company still planned to meet its obligation.Local officials never received a response.

“We gave them a 10-day response period, but there was no response,” Zetzl said. “At this point, the file is closed on that project.”

Delphi job cuts still on the horizon

2007-06-26T10:47:00.000-04:00

Delphi in Kokomo may have to endure job cuts despite concessions:

Job losses most likely will continue at Delphi's Kokomo electronics complex even if union members there vote this week to accept pay cuts and other concessions, analysts say.

Delphi, the nation's largest auto-parts maker, says it needs wage cuts, more flexible work rules and other concessions to lower costs and win the financing necessary to pull itself out of bankruptcy.

United Auto Workers officials outlined the proposed deal with Delphi on Monday during meetings with the 1,500 hourly workers in Kokomo.

Even if workers accept the concessions, it probably won't end the job cuts in Kokomo.

Delphi's internal forecasts call for sales in its Kokomo electronics complex to drop by half in the next five years as it shifts work to lower-cost suppliers abroad and in the U.S.

Falling sales are expected to lead the bankrupt company in the next few years to eliminate at least 300 of the 1,500 hourly jobs now in the Kokomo complex, analysts estimate.

"They'll probably phase down the operations in Kokomo some more,'' said analyst Haig Stoddard of Global Insight.

Six years ago, Delphi was Indiana's No. 3 industrial employer with about 12,000 workers, all in Anderson and Kokomo. Today, the company employs about 4,000 in Indiana, almost all in Kokomo. The Anderson plant will close this summer.

Indiana loses another 2,100 jobs

2007-06-20T10:52:00.001-04:00

Indiana lost 2,100 jobs last month, but officials at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation don't want to talk about it.

Indiana has added more than 5,000 jobs in the past year, and unemployment fell to 4.5 percent in May, the lowest rate since September 2001, according to government data released Tuesday.

A year ago, the state's unemployment rate was 5.1 percent.

Some observers say the economy may be starting to rebound -- even the hard-hit manufacturing sector that has seen large layoffs at auto-supply plants.

"We're seeing it in all sectors -- in manufacturing, HR, finance," said Teresa Hinkle, regional director in Central Indiana for staffing company Manpower, which helps companies find temporary and permanent workers.

Hinkle said business has improved noticeably from a steep falloff two years ago.

When Manpower surveyed employers recently, 46 percent said they planned to increase hiring from July to September, compared with 18 percent in the previous quarter.

In some cases, employers who cut too many jobs are rehiring former workers, Hinkle said. Other employers are expanding.

About 5,200 more jobs were reported in May from a year ago, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

Overall, manufacturing continued to suffer, dropping 9,400 jobs in the past year. But some major manufacturers -- such as Cummins, Rolls-Royce and Pfizer -- are adding jobs.

From January through May, the overall number of jobs has risen by 4,300 statewide. A year ago, the state lost 3,300 jobs during the same period.

Democrats, however, pointed to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Tuesday that showed Indiana lost 2,100 jobs from April to May, the fourth-highest decline behind Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin.

"How many more months of lackluster results do we have to endure before Mitch Daniels admits that his 'economic hot streak' talking points don't match up with Indiana's economic reality?" asked Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker in a news release.

Nathan Feltman, secretary of commerce and president of the Indiana Economic Development Corp., stressed the decline in the unemployment rate.

"It's good news, obviously," he said.

Feltman said results of deals the state has made to attract new employers, such as Honda and Nestle, won't show up in statistics for another year or two.

"All the deals we've been working on the past two years -- most of those jobs have yet to come online," he said.

Seagram Distillery will eliminate 270 jobs this summer

2007-06-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

The Seagram Distillery in Lawrenceburg will eliminate 270 jobs this summer:

The Cincinnati Business Courier is reporting that the new owner of the Seagram Distillery in Lawrenceburg plans to eliminate 270 jobs. Pernod Ricard announced in February that it was selling the facility to CL Financial Group. In May, Pernod told Inside INdiana Business that there would be layoffs this summer and at the time said the figure could be as high as 400 workers.

Visteon closing Bedford plant, 685 to lose jobs

2007-06-18T11:12:00.000-04:00

The Visteon plant in Bedford will close its doors by April 2008, leaving hundreds of employees without work:

Visteon said it plans to shut down a plant in Bedford, leaving about 685 people without jobs.

Officials met with employees Friday to break the news, the Bedford Times-Mail reported. The plant manufactures products for Ford Motor Company, making systems that send fuel from a vehicle's gasoline tank to the engine.

Visteon officials told the newspaper that the Bedford plant did not produce its core business, such as climate control, electronics and lighting. The timetable for closure is April 2008.

Aztar axes a dozen more

2007-06-15T15:27:00.000-04:00

Casino Aztar is laying off another 12 employees in Evansville:

Twelve more Casino Aztar employees were laid off Thursday, prompting a pointed response from Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel, who said the latest cuts broke yet another commitment by the casino's owner.

At Weinzapfel's request, the Indiana Gaming Commission has been investigating Columbia Sussex's plan to lay off at least 70 workers from Casino Aztar. Columbia officials have said the layoffs were needed because of increased competition from a French Lick, Ind., casino, but they had agreed not to make further cuts until the commission's investigation was complete.

Late last week, commissioner Don Vowels said the investigation was ongoing.

"Once again Columbia Sussex is thumbing its nose at the Gaming Commission which is in the middle of an investigation regarding whether their business practices contradict the promises they made to the Gaming Commission, City of Evansville and the State of Indiana," Weinzapfel said in a statement issued Thursday night.

Economist Morton Marcus on Indiana's GDP

2007-06-12T16:20:00.001-04:00

The Indiana Economic Digest has posted a copy of economist Morton Marcus's latest column, which addresses the gross domestic product numbers I posted last week. It is well worth the read. (Hat tip: Taking Down Words.)

"Let me put it another way. In 2006, Indiana ranked 33rd in GDP per capita among the 50 states. That says 64% of the states (after adjusting for the population size of the states) put goods and services into the market that are more highly valued than are those sold by Indiana firms.

"In 2003 we ranked 29th in per capita GDP. During just the past four years we have been passed by Vermont, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Kansas. Farming pushed North Dakota ahead, but it was durable goods manufacturing thatworked for Vermont, Tennessee and Kansas.

"In six of the last nine years, including all three of the last three years, Indiana has failed to grow as rapidly as the nation in total GDP. We are becoming less significant as a part of the U.S. in both economic and political terms. We had 2.04% of US GDP in 1997 and our share was down to 1.89% in 2006."

"And that means to me?" Fergus asked again.

"That means we'll see fewer retail initiatives in Indiana. We'll see fewer firms and households interested in locating where 'nothing is happening'. It means we'll have less clout in national councils and eventually suffer the loss of still another member of congress."

Fayette County ethanol plant, jobs in jeopardy

2007-06-08T11:03:00.000-04:00

An ethanol plant proposed for Fayette County may not get off the ground because of a lack of water:

The determining factor in whether a proposed ethanol plant and agri-energy park near Glenwood becomes a reality is water. Without it - or a plan to get it there - the project could die, local officials learned Tuesday.

The officials discussed how to fund a water line to the proposed site at an informational meeting called by the Eastern Indiana Development District.

Whitewater Valley Ethanol principals Steve Hogan and Troy Flowers met with representatives of the Fayette County Redevelopment Commission, county commissioners, county council and Connersville City Council as well as Connersville Mayor Max Ellison, Utilities Director Harold Ellison, bond counsel, the commissioners' attorney, financial advisers and two project investors. Ryan Asberry, assistant vice president of the Indiana Economic Development Corp.,
participated by telephone.

Nancy Kinder, executive director of the EIDD, said the investor group was scheduled to meet today to make a decision about whether to continue with the project in Fayette County or move it to another Indiana location.

Without a plan to finance a water line to the proposed site, Kinder said Fayette County would lose the $215 million investment and any hope of obtaining the additional $230 million investment that could follow. The scope involves several hundred jobs, according to officials.

Visteon to lay off 111 in Connersville

2007-06-07T14:34:00.001-04:00

Visteon in Connersville announces 111 layoffs via three WARN notices posted today.

Seven workers in engineering development services and 104 workers on the line will be affected.

The layoffs will take place in July and August.

Indiana in second lowest quintile of GDP growth

2007-06-07T10:59:00.000-04:00

The Bureau of Economic Analysis has released revised numbers for the state distribution of gross domestic product growth. Indiana continues to lag behind most of the nation, according to this chart:

Indiana loses more than 17,000 manufacturing jobs in one year

2007-06-06T09:48:00.000-04:00

The Associated Press writes about Indiana's manufacturing job losses over the past year:

Indiana lost 17,108 manufacturing jobs over the past year, a steeper-than-recent drop spurred by the struggling auto industry and a decline in need for manufactured housing.

State manufacturing jobs sank to about 677,000 during the 12-month period that ended in March, a 2.4 percent decrease, according to the 2007 Indiana Manufacturers Directory published by Illinois-based Manufacturers' News Inc.

That percentage decrease topped declines ranging from 1 percent to 2 percent over the past three years, according to the directory, which surveyed more than 11,000 state manufacturers.

The Indiana decrease is similar to declines seen in neighboring states that rely on the automotive industry, Manufacturers' News President Tom Dubin said. The report says Michigan saw manufacturing jobs drop 3.5 percent and Ohio recorded a 2.3 percent drop.

Illinois, which doesn't rely on the industry as much, had a drop of less than 1 percent.
Changes in the automotive industry and manufactured housing were two main reasons Indiana lost jobs over the past year, said Andrew Penca, commissioner of the state Department of Workforce Development.

Indiana saw several automotive industry plants close or cut jobs in the past year. Guide Corp. announced last fall that it planned to close its Anderson factory, which employed more than 1,000 workers at the time. The factory then closed in January. Delphi Corp. also will stop production at its Anderson factory this summer.

Northern Indiana's manufactured housing makers saw a slowdown because a demand for homes and recreational vehicles that spiked after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005 started to wane, Penca said.

"The good news is, on the back end over the next several years, we've got new jobs coming on line that are either in the automotive industry or still in the manufacturing industry that will help offset those losses," Penca said.

He said Indiana was the only state last year that had expansion announcements by three major automotive or transportation-related original equipment manufacturers.

Honda Motor Co. has started building a new factory in Greensburg that will employ 2,000 people. Columbus-based Cummins Inc. announced expansion plans, and Toyota has started producing cars at a new assembly line in the Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. plant near Lafayette.

"That's promising and that certainly helps swallow some of the tough news we hear," Penca said. In addition to that, the Indiana manufacturing sector saw in April its first monthly jobs increase since June 2006, according to the state Department of Workforce Development.

Overall, though, Dubin said he's seen a steady decrease in manufacturing jobs since Sept. 11, 2001.

"It seems like the blip has been when it hasn't," he said. "It's kind of been a small, steady trickle of jobs both in Indiana and nationwide."

Patrick Industries to lay off 44 workers in Elkhart

2007-06-05T13:05:00.000-04:00

The South Bend Tribune reports that Patrick Industries in Elkhart will lay off 44 workers within the next month:

About 44 people could find themselves out of work within the next 30 days at a Patrick Industries plant southwest of the city.

The Elkhart-based Patrick, which supplies laminate materials and doors to the RV industry, said Monday it is ceasing production of interior passage doors for RVs and motor homes.The company recently acquired Adorn LLC, a competitor also based in Elkhart.

The layoffs announced Monday had nothing to do with that acquisition, which closed in late May, said Lyle Goward, corporate human resources director.