E-One begins workforce reduction with layoffs
By Rick Cundiff
Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.
OCALA - Firetruck manufacturer E-One began a wave of layoffs Tuesday morning as the company moved to private ownership.
Doug Engle/Star-Banner
Michael Puzino, left and Lanny Hill, right, give each other hugs outside the Emergency One Chassis Plant after being laid off Tuesday. "There is no ill feelings towards them," Hill said who had 26 years with the company as a welder. "The strong will survive."
Related Links:
* E-One timeline
* Text of E-One news release about completed sale
Several laid-off employees said Tuesday they had been told last week by company management that E-One would lay off between 200 and 300 people. When the company sought state and local funds last year for a new plant, the reported number of employees was close to 1,300.
E-One spokeswoman Amanda Davis said Tuesday that the layoff estimates given by the employees were not accurate.
"You're not within the range," she said. "That's way too high."
Day-shift workers leaving the E-One chassis plant confirmed they had been told at 7 a.m. that they were being laid off because the company has too many workers.
"The company's got to be profitable," said Shawn Conner, a nine-year employee. "As it is, they've got too many employees."
The layoffs came on the same day that E-One and its longtime corporate parent Federal Signal Corp., announced the completion of the sale of E-One to a combination of E-One management staff and American Industrial Partners, a private equity firm.
E-One, founded in Ocala in 1974, has been owned by Federal Signal since 1979. E-One lost nearly $25 million last year, and Federal Signal investors have been pressuring the Oak Brook, Ill.-based corporation to sell the firetruck maker.
E-One also announced Tuesday that the privately-held company's board of directors will include Gene Goodson, a former chairman and CEO of E-One competitor Oshkosh Corp., and Donn Viola, the former chief operating officer of Mack Trucks. The company statement did not name any other board members.
Several laid-off employees confirmed E-One offered a severance package, but said they didn't know the details yet.
The layoffs weren't a complete surprise, employees said.
"We heard rumors last week, and the week before, but they were just rumors, so we didn't worry," said Michael Puzino, who worked in the fabrication department for two years.
"We all saw the handwriting on the wall," said George Goodridge, a 20-year employee.
Puzino said the number of workers laid off would probably be substantial.
"They said last week they were going to lay off at least 200 people," he said.
Another employee, Lanny Hill, put the figure even higher.
"I think they said right at 300," he said.
Company spokeswoman Davis disputed the number but declined to provide an accurate figure, saying the company would issue a statement today.
Hill, a small-parts welder, worked for E-One for 25 years. Like other laid-off workers, he offered only positive comments about his former employer.
"It was good. They provided you well," he said. "It's good. I wish them well ... They're all good people."
For Goodridge, 65, Tuesday was the second time he'd lost a long-term job.
"I've already lost a job at AT&T. I was there 25 years," he said. "That hurt, no matter what. I was hoping to stay another year or two [at E-One] if my health was good."
Conner, who was a rigger on the chassis line, remained optimistic as he left the plant.
"It's all right," he said. "There's more jobs out there, and we'll all get through it."
Hill, 60, wasn't sure what he'd do next.
"I guess, go home and sit down and relax for a while, and look through the package they gave us, and get on the Internet," he said.
Like Conner, he remained hopeful as he left the chassis plant for the last time.
"There is life after E-One," he said. "We will survive."
Rick Cundiff may be reached at rick.cundiff@starbanner.com, or 867-4130.
Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.
OCALA - Firetruck manufacturer E-One began a wave of layoffs Tuesday morning as the company moved to private ownership.
Doug Engle/Star-Banner
Michael Puzino, left and Lanny Hill, right, give each other hugs outside the Emergency One Chassis Plant after being laid off Tuesday. "There is no ill feelings towards them," Hill said who had 26 years with the company as a welder. "The strong will survive."
Related Links:
* E-One timeline
* Text of E-One news release about completed sale
Several laid-off employees said Tuesday they had been told last week by company management that E-One would lay off between 200 and 300 people. When the company sought state and local funds last year for a new plant, the reported number of employees was close to 1,300.
E-One spokeswoman Amanda Davis said Tuesday that the layoff estimates given by the employees were not accurate.
"You're not within the range," she said. "That's way too high."
Day-shift workers leaving the E-One chassis plant confirmed they had been told at 7 a.m. that they were being laid off because the company has too many workers.
"The company's got to be profitable," said Shawn Conner, a nine-year employee. "As it is, they've got too many employees."
The layoffs came on the same day that E-One and its longtime corporate parent Federal Signal Corp., announced the completion of the sale of E-One to a combination of E-One management staff and American Industrial Partners, a private equity firm.
E-One, founded in Ocala in 1974, has been owned by Federal Signal since 1979. E-One lost nearly $25 million last year, and Federal Signal investors have been pressuring the Oak Brook, Ill.-based corporation to sell the firetruck maker.
E-One also announced Tuesday that the privately-held company's board of directors will include Gene Goodson, a former chairman and CEO of E-One competitor Oshkosh Corp., and Donn Viola, the former chief operating officer of Mack Trucks. The company statement did not name any other board members.
Several laid-off employees confirmed E-One offered a severance package, but said they didn't know the details yet.
The layoffs weren't a complete surprise, employees said.
"We heard rumors last week, and the week before, but they were just rumors, so we didn't worry," said Michael Puzino, who worked in the fabrication department for two years.
"We all saw the handwriting on the wall," said George Goodridge, a 20-year employee.
Puzino said the number of workers laid off would probably be substantial.
"They said last week they were going to lay off at least 200 people," he said.
Another employee, Lanny Hill, put the figure even higher.
"I think they said right at 300," he said.
Company spokeswoman Davis disputed the number but declined to provide an accurate figure, saying the company would issue a statement today.
Hill, a small-parts welder, worked for E-One for 25 years. Like other laid-off workers, he offered only positive comments about his former employer.
"It was good. They provided you well," he said. "It's good. I wish them well ... They're all good people."
For Goodridge, 65, Tuesday was the second time he'd lost a long-term job.
"I've already lost a job at AT&T. I was there 25 years," he said. "That hurt, no matter what. I was hoping to stay another year or two [at E-One] if my health was good."
Conner, who was a rigger on the chassis line, remained optimistic as he left the plant.
"It's all right," he said. "There's more jobs out there, and we'll all get through it."
Hill, 60, wasn't sure what he'd do next.
"I guess, go home and sit down and relax for a while, and look through the package they gave us, and get on the Internet," he said.
Like Conner, he remained hopeful as he left the chassis plant for the last time.
"There is life after E-One," he said. "We will survive."
Rick Cundiff may be reached at rick.cundiff@starbanner.com, or 867-4130.
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