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May 8, 2009
Like dominoes in a row, Chrysler’s financial troubles caused its suppliers to cut back orders from Ludington’s Whitehall Industries and that caused more layoffs Monday at the local company.
“There is a lot of uncertainty these days. When Chrysler decided to close its plants down, we had to have a small layoff,” David Cooper, Whitehall chief operating officer, said Thursday.
He said 15 people were laid off and said they volunteered for the layoffs. He also said there were more volunteers than layoffs.
Cooper said he’s not sure how long the layoffs will last, but said he wouldn’t be surprised if they lasted into July.
About 80 to 85 percent of Whitehall’s business involves the auto industry, Cooper said, although it is not a direct tie to automakers.
“It’s not directly to Chrysler, but to companies that make sunroofs and convertible tops for Chrysler,” he said.
When those companies lose their orders they stop ordering from Whitehall.
The company employed about 480 people during the summer of 2008 but is now down about 260 workers to its current workforce of about 220. Whitehall laid off 211 employees in December.
Whitehall has plants on South Madison Street and Sixth Street in Ludington and Cooper said both facilities are still operating, although only about 30 workers man the day shift at the Madison Street plant with another 10 on second shift.
“We’ve really shifted our production as much as we can from Madison Street to Sixth Street,” he said, adding that the company’s headquarters and engineering department also moved to Sixth Street.
The company is working to expand into markets other than the auto industry, Cooper said, and it has a contract to manufacture parts for MasTech/Mariah Power Windspire wind turbines being built in Manistee.
“It’s not huge in jobs, probably six jobs,” Cooper said about the contract, but added that it may mean more jobs at Whitehall in the future.
He said the company is also making parts for TenPoint Crossbows.
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