We welcome you to JobBank USA and hope your job hunting experience
is a pleasant one. We hope you find our resources useful.
December 14, 2007
Prattville Mayor Jim Byard Jr. announced this week that an unknown number of local and area residents will be out of a job when Haldex Brake Systems reacts to economic stress and begins reducing its workforce shortly after the end of this year.
The Sweden-based global manufacturing company's Friction Products Division reportedly employs 170 workers at its Prattville facility. The entire company is being restructured due to an industry-wide economic downturn, the city's chief executive officer said.
"The good news is, the plant is not closing," Byard said. "It will still have a presence in Prattville. But they have had a downturn in business and are restructuring. They will begin layoffs after the first of the year."
Byard said he couldn't comment on published reports that the layoff would affect half (85) of the local plant's employees.
"I do not know an exact number," he said.
Connie Bainbridge, president and director of economic development for the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce, said the estimate was probably based upon the recent issuance to company officials by the U.S. Department of Labor of a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter.
"I think the estimate was based on the WARN letter, which has to be obtained if a company anticipates a 50-percent layoff," she said. "I don't think Haldex officials knew the exact number that will be laid off, but they wanted to adhere to the letter of the law, just in case."
Bainbridge said Haldex officials are convinced the workforce reduction would make the company a more efficient operation.
"Essentially, they're doing a reorganization and they're anticipating downsizing," Bainbridge said on Tuesday. "Their intent is to emerge leaner and stronger."
Officials of the local plant had not responded by late Tuesday to a voice message asking for comment on the proposed layoff.
Requests for comment sent by email to Lena Olofsdotter, vice president of corporate communications at Haldex's headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, and to Sherilyn Henshaw, director of marketing for Haldex Brake Systems Division headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., had not been answered by press time.
Haldex is a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty air brake and suspension systems for trucks, buses and trailers. Among its customers are Freightliner, Mercedes, Mack and Volvo Trucks.
The company employs 6,100 people worldwide and has manufacturing facilities in the U.S, England, Sweden and Germany, according to its Web site.
Email This Page!