Martin plant to layoff 160, close in October
By JOHN SEMIEN
jsemien@jacksonsun.com
The Fechheimer Brothers plant in Martin has announced that it will close, a move that will mean the loss of 160 jobs, according to a plant spokesman.
Chief Financial Officer Dan Dudley said Fechheimer makes uniforms for the military, police and fire departments. He said the Martin plant manufactured shirts.
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'We make police and fire uniforms and over the last couple of years, cities and counties and states have removed the made in the USA requirements,'' Dudley said. ''We no longer have the volume to keep it (plant) open.''
Dudley said employees at the plant were notified of the closing earlier this week and that layoffs will probably begin in mid October. He said the plant will be closed by the end of November.
Fechheimer Brothers also operates a plant that manufactures shirts in Grantsville, MD and one that manufactures pants and jackets in Hodgenville, KY.
The company also utilizes a broad range of contractors, both domestic and overseas, for manufacturing of certain types of product, according to a press release.
''While the company's overall business plan for fiscal year 2008 and 2009 is excellent, our best projection for our workload does not provide for a sufficient quantity of work to keep our Martin, Tennessee plant at a capacity that reasonably spreads its overhead and provides business sense for its continuing operation,'' the release said.
The release said that the Hodgeville and Grantsville plants will remain at full, and ''possibly enhanced'' production.
Dudley said the Martin plant had not experienced any recent layoffs. He said there have been two or three times in the last five years when the plant operated with reduced work hours for employees.
Dudley said the plant employees 140 union employees and 20 who are not in a union.
jsemien@jacksonsun.com
The Fechheimer Brothers plant in Martin has announced that it will close, a move that will mean the loss of 160 jobs, according to a plant spokesman.
Chief Financial Officer Dan Dudley said Fechheimer makes uniforms for the military, police and fire departments. He said the Martin plant manufactured shirts.
'
'We make police and fire uniforms and over the last couple of years, cities and counties and states have removed the made in the USA requirements,'' Dudley said. ''We no longer have the volume to keep it (plant) open.''
Dudley said employees at the plant were notified of the closing earlier this week and that layoffs will probably begin in mid October. He said the plant will be closed by the end of November.
Fechheimer Brothers also operates a plant that manufactures shirts in Grantsville, MD and one that manufactures pants and jackets in Hodgenville, KY.
The company also utilizes a broad range of contractors, both domestic and overseas, for manufacturing of certain types of product, according to a press release.
''While the company's overall business plan for fiscal year 2008 and 2009 is excellent, our best projection for our workload does not provide for a sufficient quantity of work to keep our Martin, Tennessee plant at a capacity that reasonably spreads its overhead and provides business sense for its continuing operation,'' the release said.
The release said that the Hodgeville and Grantsville plants will remain at full, and ''possibly enhanced'' production.
Dudley said the Martin plant had not experienced any recent layoffs. He said there have been two or three times in the last five years when the plant operated with reduced work hours for employees.
Dudley said the plant employees 140 union employees and 20 who are not in a union.
Labels: layoffs, The Fechheimer Brothers
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