N. Idaho ammunition maker lays off workers
LEWISTON, Idaho - Ammunition maker ATK Armament Systems is cutting about 10 percent of its work force at its Lewiston plant.
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2009/01/09/ap-state-id/d95jslng0.txt
Officials with the company, part of Minneapolis-based ATK, said they began on Thursday to tell about 80 employees that their jobs would be eliminated, and they expect to finish the notifications by Monday. The cuts will leave about 850 people employed at the plant, which makes ammunition for law enforcement agencies and civilians.
The company also is cutting about 80 employees from its plant in Anoka, Minn.
"Based on what I know today, we have the right-sized work force to meet anticipated demand, which remains healthy and strong," said Amanda Covington, a spokeswoman for ATK in Salt Lake City. "If market conditions change, demand could go up or down."
According to ATK's Web site, the parent company employs about 17,000 people. It has three different business groups, including ATK Armament Systems, which has nine plants around the country, Covington said.
In December, all employees at the Lewiston plant took one week off as part of a temporary shutdown. The plant is the Lewiston area's third-largest manufacturing employer.
"We still see healthy products in law enforcement, government and some products in commercial and hunting sports," Covington said.
The company had hired extra workers in 2006 to meet a backlog of orders, Covington said, and has made good progress in reducing the number of outstanding orders.
Kathryn Tacke, an economist with the Idaho Department of Labor in Coeur d'Alene, said it is normal for manufacturers to lay off workers once orders have been met.
"Those are normal things," Tacke said. "It's just unfortunate the economy is so bad right now that the people who are losing jobs are going to find that it's that much harder to find work."
LEWISTON, Idaho - Ammunition maker ATK Armament Systems is cutting about 10 percent of its work force at its Lewiston plant.
http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2009/01/09/ap-state-id/d95jslng0.txt
Officials with the company, part of Minneapolis-based ATK, said they began on Thursday to tell about 80 employees that their jobs would be eliminated, and they expect to finish the notifications by Monday. The cuts will leave about 850 people employed at the plant, which makes ammunition for law enforcement agencies and civilians.
The company also is cutting about 80 employees from its plant in Anoka, Minn.
"Based on what I know today, we have the right-sized work force to meet anticipated demand, which remains healthy and strong," said Amanda Covington, a spokeswoman for ATK in Salt Lake City. "If market conditions change, demand could go up or down."
According to ATK's Web site, the parent company employs about 17,000 people. It has three different business groups, including ATK Armament Systems, which has nine plants around the country, Covington said.
In December, all employees at the Lewiston plant took one week off as part of a temporary shutdown. The plant is the Lewiston area's third-largest manufacturing employer.
"We still see healthy products in law enforcement, government and some products in commercial and hunting sports," Covington said.
The company had hired extra workers in 2006 to meet a backlog of orders, Covington said, and has made good progress in reducing the number of outstanding orders.
Kathryn Tacke, an economist with the Idaho Department of Labor in Coeur d'Alene, said it is normal for manufacturers to lay off workers once orders have been met.
"Those are normal things," Tacke said. "It's just unfortunate the economy is so bad right now that the people who are losing jobs are going to find that it's that much harder to find work."
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