Janaury 23, 2002
Vesuvius plant to close
By Jefferson Wolfe
Staff Writer
jwolfe@advertiser-tribune.com
About 46 more jobs will be lost in Seneca County soon. The Vesuvius plant near Bettsville will be closing its doors.
The Maple Grove plant is to be closed and the refractory production will be consolidated into the company's plants.
The steel industry has seen a 35 percent decline across the board since May 2000, said Don Satina, spokesman for Vesuvius.
"The demand for our product has decreased with steel production," he said.
According to a press release, the company reviewed its operations because of the downturn in the domestic steel industry, improved internal manufacturing efficiency and the use of longer-life refractories.
The company does not know for sure when the plant will close, Satina said. The plant still has commitments to some customers, he said.
Employees were told the plant could be closing as soon as Feb. 1, said Vesuvius employee Otha Warnick. The corporate vice president came to the plant Jan. 4 to talk to the employees, he said.
The company has requested a meeting with United Auto Workers Union, which represents the hourly employees, to discuss helping them find new jobs.
"It is our desire to work with the union to appropriate outplacement assistance for our manufacturing employees," said Mark Fisher, president and CEO. "We hope to reach an agreement with the union as soon as possible. For our salaried employees we hope to find as many internal openings and transfers as possible and we will also offer outplacement assistance to others."