No Ammo, no Guns, no Job! “unforeseeable significant downturn”: U.S. Mining/Industry/Logistics layoffs, March 2017

Incomplete list of U.S. Mining/Industrial/Logistics job loss/shutdown announcements made in March 2017.

Iconic and at one time the largest U.S. moving company Graebel Van Lines “ceasing ongoing operations, effective immediately”!  At least 2-thousand jobs suddenly gone!  News reports say its the second major moving company to go bust since December 2016 (Kane Company)!  News media also discovered that some employees and creditors began lawsuits this year over unpaid wages and debts!  If the company is legally broke they’ll never get paid (happened to me in 2012).

 California:  In Riverside, SiftMill issued a shutdown WARN, for April.  Waste cleanup company Global Sulfur Systems shutting down its Cerritos ops by the end of April.  What construction industry recovery? Construction engineering company Mas Tec North America eliminating 74 jobs by May.

Colorado: Distributor Bartkus Oil shutting down after 71 years due to crashing demand from the farm industry.

Connecticut:  In Orange, Valley Tool eliminating 65 jobs by June.

Florida: JCPenney issued a shutdown WARN for its Lakeland Logistics Center, 119 jobs gone between May and October!  What construction industry recovery?  CTIS eliminating 70 jobs at its West Palm Beach location, by mid-May.  At Elgin AFB, federal tax sucker SURVICE Engineering eliminating 91 jobs by mid-April.  And federal tax sucker PAE Aviation and Technical Services laid off 133 people at Elgin AFB!

Idaho:   Ammo maker Federal Cartridge (Federal Premium Ammunition) suddenly furloughed 1-hundred employees at its Lewiston factory, blaming hunters and Donald Trump: “…we experienced a challenging retail environment due in part to a weak hunting season and the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.”

Illinois: Troubled United Airlines eliminating 3-hundred HQ jobs in Chicago!  School bus company First Student laying off 75 people in June due to loss of contract. Jackobson Warehouse shutting down its Romeoville location, 162 jobs lost by the end of May!  In Bolingbrook, Dedicated Logistics issued a shutdown WARN, 121 jobs lost by May due to loss of contract!  Also in Bolingbrook, logistics consultant Radial shutting down, 132 jobs lost by the end of June!  In Belvidere, Auto Releasing shutting down, 68 rail jobs lost by May due to loss of contract.  Also in Belvidere, Pierce Packaging shutting down, 46 jobs lost by the end of May due to loss of contract.  What automotive industry recovery? Tri-Dim Filter suddenly laid off 27 people in Belvidere. In Stockton, Dura Automotive Systems issued a layoff WARN, 171 jobs lost in May due to loss of contract!  In Romeoville, Stant USA shutting down, 69 jobs lost by January 2018.

Indiana: What automotive industry recovery?  Wisconsin based farm vehicle parts maker Rexnord shutting down its Indianapolis bearings factory and moving more than 3-hundred jobs to Mexico by the end of the year, despite threats by Donald Trump!  The layoffs started at the beginning of March.  Surface finisher Saran Industries eliminating 110 jobs by the end of June due to factory shutdown!

Iowa: What automotive industry recovery?  Caterpillar shutting down its Elkader factory, 75 jobs lost to Kansas.

Kentucky:  Gun maker Remington laid off about 16 people in Lexington.

Louisiana:  In Morgan, Petroleum Helicopters suddenly shutdown “…due to a very difficult economic environment and changes in our customers’ needs.”  The company transports workers to off-shore oil rigs.

Maryland: Georgia based Burris Logistics eliminating an undisclosed number of employees at its Elkton ops. Local news media discovered that Burris already eliminated about 50 jobs in neighboring Delaware, and speculated it might have something to due with Burris’ biggest customer BJ’s Wholesale Clubs.  Maker of store display units, Missouri based iDX Corporation, shutting down its Columbia factory, 68 jobs lost.  Local  news media reported that iDX wanted to expand but was not able to find a larger property at a price they could afford.

Michigan: What automotive industry recovery? Luxembourg based truck and farm vehicle parts maker SAF-Holland consolidating its U.S. operations, including shutting down their Holland factory, 97 Michigan jobs lost in October.  Auto parts maker Inteva Products furloughing 2-hundred employees for at least six months due to “the cancellation of our agreement with one of our largest customers”.  General Motors (GM) laying off 1-thousand-1-hundred people as it phases out GMC Acadia production at its factory in Lansing, by May!

Minnesota: Ammo maker Federal Cartridge (Federal Premium Ammunition) suddenly laid off 110 employees at its Anoka factory, blaming hunters and Donald Trump: “…we experienced a challenging retail environment due in part to a weak hunting season and the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.”

New Hampshire: Thompson Investment Casting suddenly laid off 53 gun foundry workers, blaming the election of Donald Trump for crashing gun sales. Clarke Distributors-White Mountain Distributors being sold-off, affecting at least 123 employees!

New Jersey:   In Logan-Swedesboro, drugs pusher Walgreens shutting down its 18 years old e-commerce distribution center, 133 jobs lost in June!  Walgreens is consolidating its internet operations.  Warren Distributing eliminating 128 jobs by the end of April! Local news media say no reason was given.  In Wall, NRG Energy issued a WARN, 65 jobs gone by mid-June.  In Paulsboro, oil refiner AXEON issued a WARN, 115 jobs lost by May!  In Lawrenceville, Hub City Distributing issued a WARN, 101 jobs lost by the end of April!  Switzerland based ‘inspection’ company SGS issued a WARN for its Mawah location, 37 jobs gone by mid-May.

New York: Local news media reporting that General Electric (GE) will layoff a “small percentage” of people in Schenectady due to “current challenges in the power market and the integration of GE and legacy Alstom”.  Gun maker Remington laid off 122 people in Ilion blaming “poor economic policies pushed by Gov. Cuomo and Assembly Democrats as well as the SAFE Act. Make no mistake, there is a direct correlation.”  In Rotterdam, Railex issued a shutdown WARN, 138 rail jobs gone by the end of June, due to loss of contract!  Manufacturer Allenair issued a shutdown WARN for its Mineola location, 69 jobs lost by September.  The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center shutting down its research and development ops, 30 jobs lost by mid-June.  School bus company East End Bus Lines shutting down in Medford, 255 jobs lost due to loss of contract!

North Carolina:  North State Aviation shutting down operations at the Smith Reynolds Airport, 345 jobs lost due to “unforeseeable significant downturn in business”!

Ohio: Oneida Group laid off ten people at its Anchor-Hocking glass cookware operations near Lancaster.  The jobs were outsourced to a company based in India, in order to improve “profitability”.  3M shutting down its factory in Elyria, 136 jobs lost between May and August!  Rail company CSX laid off 34 people “as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to be more efficient and reduce operating costs”.  What coal industry recovery? Dayton Power & Light going ahead with plans to shutdown two co-op owned coal fired power plants in 2018.

Oklahoma:  Linde Engineering eliminating about 80 jobs in Tulsa; 30 with outright layoffs and about 50 jobs being transferred to Texas.  It’s blamed on the petroleum industry BS.  Industrial emission control system maker John Zink eliminated an undisclosed number of jobs blaming “changing market conditions”.

Ohio: Maumee based agribusiness and farm retailer Andersons shutdown its distribution center as part of plans to go-out-of-business (announced last month).  Standex International-Enginetics shutting down its Eastlake aerospace factory, 28 jobs lost by July, “due to the strategic consolidation”.

Oregon: What construction industry recovery? Maker of fireplaces Portland Willamette shutting down its factory near Portland International Airport, the remaining 62 jobs gone by mid-May.

Pennsylvania: Nippon (Japan) owned nuclear power plant company Westinghouse now chapter 11 bankrupt busted.  Parent company Toshiba has been losing money hand-over-fist ever since the 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Westinghouse will probably be sold to raise cash.  220 jobs lost as chemical company Indspec shuts down its factory in Petrolia, at the end of July!   Classtex suddenly shutdown its 70 years old knitting mill in Orwigsburg, the remaining 15 employees lost their jobs due to “Offshore competition mainly. It’s difficult to compete with countries that are not even paying their people $1 an hour, and they don’t have to worry paying their people any kind of benefits.”  Despite investment by Bill Gates hi-tech battery maker Aquion Energy suddenly laid off 80% of employees and declared bankruptcy!  Administrators said that even with funding by Bill Gates “the company has been unable to raise the growth capital needed to continue operating”.  Blaschak Coal laid off 55 people blaming a warm winter for low sales.  In Steelton, ArcelorMittal laid off an additional 86 people as it reduces the number of shifts. In September 2016, ArcelorMittal laid off 27 people. In Carlise, CEVA Logistics issued a WARN, 101 jobs lost by May!  In York, heat exchanger maker Kelvion eliminating 72 jobs by the end of June. Injection mold maker DME eliminating 61 jobs in Youngwood, by June.

South Carolina: Local news media reporting that General Electric (GE) will layoff a “small percentage” of people due to “current challenges in the power market and the integration of GE and legacy Alstom”.  After more than 20 years plastic packaging maker Buckhorn shutting down its factory in Bluffton, 1-hundred jobs lost due to sudden consolidation of ops!  The mayor of Bluffton, Ted Ellis, said “When I asked management if there was something we could have done, or could do to keep them here, they said no. That was a decision made elsewhere and we’re just at their mercy.” What automotive industry recovery?  Vehicle parts maker Dayco shutting down its 43 years old Walterboro factory, more than 120 jobs lost over the next few months!

Tennessee: Mississippi hauler Ingram Barge suddenly laid off 47 people blaming it on a sudden drop in business.

Texas: Troubled (by corporate insider games) oil contractor Ethos Offshore now chapter 7 bankrupt busted.   Oil contractor Enbridge eliminating 1-thousand jobs in the U.S. and Canada!  It’s the result of Enbridge’s takeover of competitor Sprecta Energy.  Gulf Marine Fabricators killing another 19 jobs on top of the hundreds it killed in the past 22 months.

Virginia: Local news media reporting that General Electric (GE) will layoff a “small percentage” of people in Salem due to “current challenges in the power market and the integration of GE and legacy Alstom”.  In Fisherville, Wilson Trucking laid off about 1-hundred people due to its takeover by a Texas company.

Washington: Boeing issued yet another mass layoff WARN, 245 jobs lost starting mid-May!  Japan owned Nippon Paper suddenly laid off 151 Port Angeles workers!  In SeaTac, Menzie’s Aviation shutting down, 949 jobs gone by May!  What automotive industry recovery?  Car electronics parts maker Harman International Industries issued a shutdown WARN for its factory in Cheney, 86 jobs gone by May.  At nuke disaster site Hanford, tax sucking contractor CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation warned employees that 250 could lose their jobs because ‘key work’ at the disaster site was considered finished.  Also at Hanford, tax sucker Mission Support Alliance said it was laying off as many as 50 people.

West Virginia:  New York based Special Metals laid off 34 people in Huntington, in what local news media called “another round of layoffs”.  What construction industry recovery?  In Holden, hardwood floor maker Mohawk Industries laid off 111 people due to consolidation operations!

Wisconsin: Temp agency Manpower eliminating 150 HQ jobs in Milwaukee!  The administrative jobs are being replaced by robots/computers!

Mining/Industrial/Logistics layoffs, February 2017:  “INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION PROGRAM”

Retail/Banking/Service Sector Collapse, March 2017: “WE JUST DIDN’T WANT TO DO IT ANYMORE.”