Two of Shawnee’s largest employers, Eaton and Central Plastics, have cut a combined 102 jobs in the past week as business orders and demand continue to remain low at both plants.
Ward Rehkopf, plant manager at Eaton, said the hydraulic plant announced it would cut 78 jobs Wednesday, including some front office positions, and that affected employees were notified Thursday.
Since late 2008 the plant has shed 179 jobs, cutting its workforce to nearly half of what it was six months ago.
Rehkopf cited a sluggish economy, low demand for the plant’s products and the continued struggles of large customers heavily reliant on the building and housing markets as reasons for the latest round of layoffs at Eaton. He said Thursday that no plans to close the plant are being hatched and that the company is “always looking to expand the product line” to keep the facility viable.
“We’re just trying to ride out the market and protect as many folks as possible,” Rehkopf said. “I know the business will come back, it’s just a matter of when.”
In addition to the 179 layoffs, Eaton also has shut down production on certain days. Eaton shut down for the entire week last week, Rehkopf said, and more week-long work stoppages are scheduled for both May and June.
George Fischer Central Plastics also announced layoffs last week that affected 24 full-time employees, President and Managing Director Rocky Wade confirmed Thursday.
Like Eaton, Wade said his company is struggling due to the “general downturn in the economy.”
“Our business is very strongly connected to the housing and oil field industries and right now they’re both down,” Wade said.
He said the company began notifying affected employees last week on Wednesday and Thursday, but that overall Central Plastics is doing as well as can be expected.
“The company is very healthy,” Wade said. “Only a small percentage of our employees were affected and we are hoping it will not be permanent.”
Prior to last week’s layoffs, Central Plastics had asked “a small number” of its employees to work a four-day work week in some of the plant’s lower-demand areas until demand returns for certain products, Wade stated in a release in March.
And Eaton and Central Plastics are not alone. Watch for further updates about layoffs at some Shawnee’s largest employers as more information becomes available.
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Andrew Knittle may be reached at 214-3926.
SHAWNEE, Okla. —
