Helicopter business to lay off 50

Edwards & Associates – a manufacturer affiliated with Bell Helicopter – has laid off 50 employees — 45 at a Piney Flats[,TN] subsidiary and five at its Bristol[,TN] headquarters — citing a declining demand for its “helicopter completion services.”

Edwards & Associates made the announcement this afternoon, and president Greg Williams said it was the first-ever layoff for the company’s Piney Flats subsidiary Aeronautical Accessories, which marks 30 years in business this year.

Source: Johnson City Press

Smart Papers sells brands to Mohawk; will lay off 200

Mohawk Fine Papers Inc. has acquired Smart Papers LLC’s uncoated paper brands, a move that will cut more than half of Smart Papers’ employees at its Hamilton[,OH] mill.

The Hamilton Journal-News , quoting the president of the United Steelworkers of America Local 1967, said about 200 Smart Papers workers will be laid off as a result of the sale. That’s about 55 percent of the mill’s union members and 60 percent of its salaried employees, according to the story. About 160 employees will remain, the union head said.

Source: Business Courier of Cincinnati

Timken to cut 400 salaried jobs

Steel alloys and bearings maker Timken. Co. says it plans to cut 400 salaried jobs as it reduces costs to match a slowing market for its products. The Canton, Ohio-based company said that the job cuts represent about 2 percent of its work force.

The recession has manufacturers cutting jobs at a rapid pace while new orders are falling.

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

Ethan Allen Announces 190 Job Cuts At Vermont, North Carolina Plants

Furniture maker Ethan Allen announced it is laying off 110 workers in Vermont and another 80 in North Carolina.

Danbury, CT-based Ethan Allen (NYSE: ETH) will make the cuts in manufacturing jobs at its furniture plants in Beecher Falls and Orleans, VT and in Old Fort, NC. After the job cuts the company still has about 600 employees in Vermont and 300 at its Old Fort plant.

Source: All Headline News

Spansion plans 3,000 job cuts

Flash memory maker Spansion Inc. said late Monday it will cut its global work force by 35 percent, or about 3,000 jobs.

The Sunnyvale-based company (NASDAQ: SPSN) said the cuts will take place mainly at manufacturing sites.

Source: Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

Alcoa to lay off 220 hourly employees

Alcoa Davenport Works announced this morning that it will reduce its hourly work force by about 220 positions as part of the global reduction announced earlier this month by the aluminum maker’s parent company.

The union and plant manager are working to determine which employees will be impacted by the layoff.The company is also working with state officials to provide assistance for these employees.

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer and manager of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities, and is active in all major aspects of the industry.

Source: Quad-City Times

Florida companies to layoff 2,000+ in Jan-Feb 2009

According to WARN filings in Florida for the first two months of 2009, more than 2000 jobs are to be cut at the beginning of the next year.

The largest layoffs are scheduled at:

JPMorgan Chase Bank in Melbourne – 300 employees
Chromalloy Gas Turbine, LLC in Fort Walton Beach – 257 employees
Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation in Live Oak – 505 employees

See the Florida’s 2008 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Notices for the full list.

Worthington Industries cutting another 300 jobs

According to AP and CNNMoney: “Metal work company Worthington Industries Inc. said on Friday it would cut more than 300 jobs, in addition to 300 cuts it announced in October.

Worthington said it would eliminate the jobs in its steel processing and metal framing segments, about 4 percent of its total work force.”