just found out my old workplace is shutting down

worked there for 9 years, and I was laid off from there back in March.

got an e-mail from an old co-worker - end of the december the doors close

less than 15 employees left. place has been going downhill for a few years - not due to the bushies, but rather from mismanagment, infighting and snarky politics going on at the headquarters.

they did have the business up for sale, but with no real customer base - who's going to buy it? The only thing they have to sell is the building and very old equipment being held together with spit-toilet paper and duct tape. as far as engineering drawings/licenses for the products go - old stuff, and the patents are held by headquarters company not the old workplace.

it was a nice place to work...once upon a time

...Sometimes is a GOOD THING.

You impress me with the lack of Schadenfreude, but then you've always impressed me.

Drive safely in the mess today.

they had the bright idea of moving production out of PA site and doing it down in St. Louis.

They had twice the manpower, new equipment/tools (many of it automated) and was able to put out half the product that we could with less manpower and very old equipment. The quality St. Louis put out sucked too - we had to reject 80-90% of the product shipped to us for reshipping...

One time they ORDERED us NOT to inspect - just reship it customer. Lost the BIG customer because of it. From there it went slowly downhill. They did get another BIG customer, and moved production back to PA site (but of course all the new equipment/tools didn't come with it). But once again they put all the eggs in one basket, depending on 1 or 2 BIG customers for the bulk of orders and when those companies went elsewhere...

big problem was NO big-cheese in charge in PA - everything had to be passed through St. Louis people - people who had never been to PA site, knew nothing about the product etc, and had their own agenda.

Lack of leadership and accountability...

mmmmm....wonder why that sounds familar? LOL

What did those guys make anyway? Refresh my memory.

for home use. large reservoir style 33L up to 55L, and small portable units 1/2L and 1L styles.

also made liftchairs - recliners that raise up and down to allow people to get in/out of them easier

At every major place I used to work at, they were either bought out or shuttered.

I hope the people who are responsible are taking some kind of a hit for it.

And I'm glad you're not still there.

:rofl: responsible people got promotions....for saving the company money... kind of like the bushies handing out medals for doing "a heckava job"

Major bummer for the people who still work for them, but those execs had to be bone stupid to let you go. Survival of the fittest reigns supreme!



Laura

:hi: Wow...better you got laid off when you did. Put all that behind you now. All the folks that are at the company going down have some tough times ahead. Can't help but feel for them. Do you like your new job? Long commute?

hour commute, but in bad weather I can work from home - that's what I did yesterday

you bet the folks at old company are going to have a hard time finding a job - not too many manufacturing/production type jobs left in the area. A couple of these guys have 30years in with the company and don't know how to do anything else.

partner is still looking for work, she did get in contact with Robert half/account temps and is on their list, but so far they only offered her a 3 month temp job for crap pay way out of reasonable commute range.

about your partner, but in all honesty your not in a very "high techy" / finance area. Hope something comes down the pike for her in 2008. That is awesome you can work from home on crappy days...shows you are working for a decent company...so happy for you. If anyone you know needs help looking from the old place... feel free to give them my email or you can pm me. It's hard enough losing a job, but around the holidays makes it worse. If I can help I certainly would.
So much dispair from this assmunch's economy...I can't stand it.

My partner had an interview earlier this week..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x7235336