Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 21, 1992 TAG: 9203210123
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Shop workers are being laid off as the work is completed, said John Vosilla, a spokesman for the parent Grumman Corp. at Bethpage, N.Y. About 10 more workers are expected to lose their jobs next week.
The company announced in November it plans to close the Roanoke plant when its backlog of orders is filled. Vosilla said Friday he did not know how many fire engine orders remain.
The company's last word was that production will continue until summer. No new orders have been taken since the company announced the closing. A shop worker said last week about 50 engines still were to be built.
An investment group, identified only as Emergency Products Acquisition Corp. said earlier this month it is trying to pull together a financial package to buy the factory and operate a fire-equipment company.
A 30-day period during which the investors were to complete their study of the company will be up at the end of the second week of April, Vosilla said.
One of the idled workers, who would not have spoken if identified, said he expects to draw unemployment because he has no immediate job prospects. He said he will draw severance pay based on his years of service at Grumman.
by CNB