CHF Industries closing Fall River mfg. plant.

[SmartBusiness]

1/23/2008
CHF Industries reportedly will be closing it's Fall River manufacturing facility within 60 days. Manufacturing employee count is not yet known but it is estimated to be between 100 - 200 people. If anyone has more information, please post here.

[FRT]

On March 7, 2008 all manufacturing operations at the CHF Industries Fall River facility will cease.

Although the company will continue to supply warehousing, distribution and other support functions from its Fall River facility, March 7 will also be the last day of employment for 84 CHF employees including factory workers, office workers, maintenance and supervisory personnel.

Many of the individuals who will lose their jobs have worked at CHF between 20 and 40 years. These employees are dedicated, tireless and loyal people who, throughout their time at CHF, have sacrificed their personal lives to meet the needs of CHF customers.

Although many are willing to reenter a factory environment, there are also those who are capable of entering entry level positions in the medical field, clerical/office field, etc.

If you are aware of any employment opportunities after March 7 for these dedicated people, please contact:

Tony Simoes
Human Resource Manager
CHF Industries
508-730-4315
847 Pleasant Street
Fall River, MA

[FRT]

1/30/2008

CHF Industries Inc. will stop making curtains at the 847 Pleasant St. plant on March 9, the company and city officials said Wednesday.
Established there as Louis Hand Inc. more than a half-century ago, a work force of more than 600 established its union shop as one of the world’s largest curtain manufacturers.
Now, less than a quarter of that number will remain as a warehousing center.
The city received notice on Jan. 10 under the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice Act “that all manufacturing operations will cease, and they will continue operating the distribution facility,” said Kenneth J. Fiola Jr., Fall River Office of Economic Development executive vice president.
Companies with 50 or more workers are required to give 60 days notice of closings and major layoffs to employees under the WARN Act. Fiola said they were notified that 84 factory, office and supervisory workers would lose their jobs by March 9.
A brief company statement said: “As a result of the elimination of the demand for the product produced in its Fall River factory, CHF Industries Inc. must cease all manufacturing operations at that location. CHF will continue to supply warehousing and distribution processes along with other support functions from this facility.
“Approximately 90 jobs will be eliminated in about 60 days as a result of this change in operations,” Tony Simoes, CHF human resources manager, read from a prepared statement. Simoes said he was not authorized to answer questions.

“If there’s any silver lining at all,” Fiola said of the latest blow, “It is that these employees will be able to receive benefits and training services (under the federal Trade Readjustment Act).
“At least this will give them a chance to apply for two years of benefits so long as they remain in a training program,” he said.
There is little question those benefits will be available, because on Aug. 2 CHF applied for trade certification under conditions that significant losses were the result of foreign competition.
“This job loss is due to overseas competition. There is no question about it,” said Fiola, who did not have documentation on what conditions precipitated the certification application during the summer, barely a month after Quaker shut down.
The U.S. Department of Labor certified CHF’s eligibility on Aug. 21, he said.
A week ago, the state’s Rapid Response team, a part of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, along with the Fall River Career Center, gave a series of workshops for the impacted CHF workers, said Joseph Viana, Career Center director.
“We encouraged people that are affected to receive services at the Career Center just like we did with Quaker,” Viana said.
Linnea Walsh, spokeswoman for Workforce Development, said its Rapid Response team responded to a request it would provide any company in need or crisis. “We provided them information about the Career Center, unemployment benefits and the state Medical Security Program” for health care services.