Seton will close its Saxton plant
About 200 workers will lose their jobsBy Wendy McCardle, wmccardle@altoonamirror.com
SAXTON - Seton Co. will close its Saxton plant by the end of the year, affecting nearly 200 workers after three decades in Bedford County.
The company, an automotive leather supplier, attributed the closure to ''unfortunate cost-cutting measures'' in light of decreasing vehicle production levels by domestic automakers and increased material and chemical costs.
Bette Slayton, executive director of the Bedford County Development Association, said the closure is ''disappointing and heart-wrenching,'' although understandable in today's economic situation.
''One needs to just look at the U.S. automobile industry and understand that suppliers to the industry are taking pretty major economic hits,'' Slayton said. ''It's just very sad news. We'll just have to work even harder and try to turn it around.''
Rodney Hammond, vice president and general manager of Americas and Asia for Seton Co., made the closure announcement Thursday.
Hammond said the ''wind-down of operations'' would take place by the end of the year, although the start date has not yet been decided.
The 200 affected workers represent all remaining positions at the plant, Hammond said. The most recent layoffs affected about 30 to 40 people earlier this year.
''The actions we are taking today are extremely difficult, given the talented group of employees and management in Saxton and our 31 years of operation here,'' Hammond said. ''That said, we are confident that this decision will help us remain competitive in the automobile industry and will ensure a long and successful future for the company in the challenging market ahead.''
Slayton said the No. 1 priority is assisting displaced employees through the Rapid Response Team, which coordinates with several agencies to maximize benefits available to laid-off workers.
''That's the foremost concern,'' Slayton said. ''Economic development is never done. This is why we continue to work to recruit new jobs into our community.''
This is the second major job setback in the county this summer.
In June, it was announced by JLG officials that their Sunnyside plant in Bedford would be one of several facilities affected by downsizing.
Those layoffs, company officials said, were brought about by a slowdown in nonresidential construction.
Slayton said Seton would work with her association to market the Saxton area and the company's building.
''They say nothing but great, great things about the high caliber of the rural class work force of Saxton,'' she said, adding that companies such as Bedford Reinforced Plastics and Captive Aire give her hope for a successful Bedford County economy.
The former is in a growth mode, Slayton said, while the latter, the nation's leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen ventilation systems, is about to begin hiring for its newly constructed plant.
''We will aggressively look to recruit somebody into the Saxton area,'' Slayton said. ''We'll be as creative and aggressive as possible. It's a great area. It's a great work force.''
Mirror Staff Writer Wendy McCardle is at 946-7520.
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09-12-08 12:33 PM
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If people would buy American made products where possible instead of foreign ones we would be a lot better off. Buy American cars, support American workers. Buying from foreign countrys does not benefit our workers or companys. Look where we are with oil today. We are at their mercy. If they shut us off, what then????????
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Twitch
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09-05-08 1:41 PM
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I feel sorry for the people in the area around the Seton plant. That is an area that has so few jobs and because of corprate greed they now have even fewer.
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kilgore
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09-05-08 11:20 AM
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cowher12 where do you get your facts from?? you need to stop pulling #'s out of thin air to support your claims european unemployment is nowhere near 25% if that is the basis for your argument against tariffs..it doesn't hold any water..
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MeerReedr
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09-05-08 10:39 AM
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Actually the U.S. rail industry is doing quite well these days. It just doesn't need all the workers it once did to get the job done. I think Seton and JLG have been "feast or famine" for as long as I can remember.
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cowher12
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09-05-08 9:40 AM
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Unfortunately Tarrifs do not work look at Europe they have very high tarifs and 25% unemployement. It is unfortunate that the united states automobile industry proceeded to follow the failure of the Us rail industry by refusing to acknowledge their threats and weaknesses in their product lines and continuing to resist the re-branding their product for the future. It is now to late and the economy is taking the hit for these failures. Unfortunately, what this country needs is a committment to small busines growth to develop opportunities for these workers affected. What we dont need are Executive Directors of the county redevelopment agency pulling down 75-100K salaries talking about helping when they do not even know what economic development is nor have they done a*****thing to promote it during their tenure.
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DvilleDem
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09-05-08 8:46 AM
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Bil Shuster parties while JLG and Seton close.
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Twitch
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09-05-08 8:33 AM
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Seton came to Saxton because they could keep there wages really low and prey on an area that was desparate for jobs. Now they are taking there work over seas were wages are even lower and prey on onther group that needs work. I hope the United States wakes up soon and starts to tax and put tarriffs all over these companys.
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