January 22, 2004
Norwich Bulletin
By Francis McCabeWINDHAM - The Rogers Corp. announced Wednesday it will close its South Windham manufacturing plant by the end of the year and move most of its 125 jobs to Suzhou, China.
"The decision to close our Windham Plant is not one that we took lightly or made quickly," Robert Wachob, president and chief operating officer of the 172-year-old corporation, said in a press release. "Business conditions make it impossible to continue operations in Windham. We will do what we can to lessen the economic impact on our employees and assist in their transition to new jobs."
Only a few salaried positions will remain and eventually be relocated to Rogers's headquarters in Killingly. The layoffs are expected to begin in April.
The plant manufactures molded polyurethane materials for the company's ENDUR product and nitrile rubber floats for NITRPHYL or high-performance specialty materials for computer printer parts.
The plant, located on Windham Road (Route 32), has been open since 1956 and has employed up to 220 employees.
A company official said there would be assistance and severance pay for salaried employees; negotiations with the plant's 91 union employees are expected, as well.
Ed Joyce, a company spokesman, said neither the Woodstock plant, nor the company headquarters in Killingly will close. Those plants will still house about 325 employees in the state. The corporation employs 1,150 in the nation and 1,450 worldwide.
Webmaster's Comment:
I feel like a third-class passenger on RMS Titanic watching the first-class passengers head for the lifeboats, while the clerks keep saying: "Everything is fine, stay where you are, we'll be back for you in three hours."