Qs: Does Eureka still assemble and manufacture for Aerus? Did Aerus ever sell the Bristol factory?
The following news article is from thread 13578:
Employees react to news of plant closing
by MIKE STILL
Bristol Herald Courier
Friday, March 14, 2003
Employees of Aerus Electrolux in Bristol Virginia leave the building for lunch Thursday hours after learning that the plant will be closed in May.
Not many of the employees leaving the Aerus Electrolux plant in Bristol Virginia at lunchtime Thursday wanted to comment about the news they'd just received -- that the facility would be shut down.
But a few said they had concerns about how the company has been managed.
"I'm not angry at this place here," said 15-year employee Eva Hunt as she headed to lunch. "I'm angry at the company for the way they handled things."
Hunt, who works on the plant's hose manufacturing line, said she received her 60-day layoff notice that morning.
The shutdown notice followed layoffs last year of 300 workers at the Bristol plant and at a now-dormant sister facility in Piney Flats. Some remaining employees at the Piney Flats facility were transferred to Bristol at the time.
"We knew it was coming two years ago," Hunt said. "All these people who came from Piney Flats, single mothers and single fathers. I'm 50 years old. Who's going to hire me? Who's going to hire them?"
The Bristol plant, which opened three decades ago as Electrolux, has seen changes as its parent company found itself under new ownership in 1998, when Engles, Urso, Follmer Capital Corp. bought the company.
By 2001, Aerus had sold certain rights to the Electrolux brand name to Swedish-based AB Electrolux -- to "prevent confusion by distinguishing our company from" AB Electrolux.
"It was a good company up until five years ago," Hunt said before driving away.
"When they sold our name, they sold our integrity," said 25-year employee Annie Miller as she left the plant.
Carol Salcido, a 17-year employee, said she didn't know what she'd do next.
"It's been a good place to work," Salcido said.
Bristol Virginia Mayor Doug Weberling said city officials were aware that something was about to happen with the Aerus operation, although its timing was unknown until Thursday's announcement.
"The last few months (Aerus) brought people in to look at the property," Weberling said. "We're disappointed. It seems a shame because everyone said we had such a great work force."
Aerus planned to move production to a plant in El Paso, Texas.
"I don't think they'll find the same quality of work force in El Paso," the mayor said.
Weberling said he expects to see the the Aerus plant sold, although company officials said they had no immediate plans to sell the building, which was to continue housing about 100 support and administrative staff members.
"We'll offer (city Economic Development Coordinator) Jerry Brown any help we can to market the property," the mayor said. "We're hoping that the fiber-optic network we've installed in the city will lead prospects to see the potential uses for that site."
The following news article is from thread 13578:
Employees react to news of plant closing
by MIKE STILL
Bristol Herald Courier
Friday, March 14, 2003
Employees of Aerus Electrolux in Bristol Virginia leave the building for lunch Thursday hours after learning that the plant will be closed in May.
Not many of the employees leaving the Aerus Electrolux plant in Bristol Virginia at lunchtime Thursday wanted to comment about the news they'd just received -- that the facility would be shut down.
But a few said they had concerns about how the company has been managed.
"I'm not angry at this place here," said 15-year employee Eva Hunt as she headed to lunch. "I'm angry at the company for the way they handled things."
Hunt, who works on the plant's hose manufacturing line, said she received her 60-day layoff notice that morning.
The shutdown notice followed layoffs last year of 300 workers at the Bristol plant and at a now-dormant sister facility in Piney Flats. Some remaining employees at the Piney Flats facility were transferred to Bristol at the time.
"We knew it was coming two years ago," Hunt said. "All these people who came from Piney Flats, single mothers and single fathers. I'm 50 years old. Who's going to hire me? Who's going to hire them?"
The Bristol plant, which opened three decades ago as Electrolux, has seen changes as its parent company found itself under new ownership in 1998, when Engles, Urso, Follmer Capital Corp. bought the company.
By 2001, Aerus had sold certain rights to the Electrolux brand name to Swedish-based AB Electrolux -- to "prevent confusion by distinguishing our company from" AB Electrolux.
"It was a good company up until five years ago," Hunt said before driving away.
"When they sold our name, they sold our integrity," said 25-year employee Annie Miller as she left the plant.
Carol Salcido, a 17-year employee, said she didn't know what she'd do next.
"It's been a good place to work," Salcido said.
Bristol Virginia Mayor Doug Weberling said city officials were aware that something was about to happen with the Aerus operation, although its timing was unknown until Thursday's announcement.
"The last few months (Aerus) brought people in to look at the property," Weberling said. "We're disappointed. It seems a shame because everyone said we had such a great work force."
Aerus planned to move production to a plant in El Paso, Texas.
"I don't think they'll find the same quality of work force in El Paso," the mayor said.
Weberling said he expects to see the the Aerus plant sold, although company officials said they had no immediate plans to sell the building, which was to continue housing about 100 support and administrative staff members.
"We'll offer (city Economic Development Coordinator) Jerry Brown any help we can to market the property," the mayor said. "We're hoping that the fiber-optic network we've installed in the city will lead prospects to see the potential uses for that site."
