Monday, August 06, 2007

USA: Fabrics manufacturer to layoff 225 employees


GREENBUSH: Albany International Corp. will layoff 225 employees at facilities in East Greenbush and Menands. The world's largest producer of custom-designed paper machine fabrics and process belts is now shutting down its East Greenbush facility for good and trimming operations in Menands. The company has earlier shut down plants in Sweden and Finland.

Company officials refused to comment on the closure of the East Greenbush plant and cease the manufacture of dryer fabrics for paper products at its Menands headquarters.

Company President and CEO Joe Morone said �"It's a tough day for us and a very tough day for our family of 395 people". "A lot of people spent their lives here. It's a very painful day for everyone." Morone said 160 employees will remain at the Menands facility.

The transition away from the 200,000-square-foot facility, which was built in 1988 at a cost of $20 million, is expected to be completed by the end of January.

Marone said the affected salaried and hourly employees will be offered severance packages and outplacement assistance. "We will do everything we can to help a great workforce land on their feet," said Marone, whose employees are union represented.

Albany International supplies the worldwide pulp and paper industry with consumable fabrics used to manufacture all grades of paper from lightweight paper to heavyweight containerboard, which are essential to the papermaking process. Albany International employs approximately 6,000 people worldwide.

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