Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 18, 1993 TAG: 9307180094
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short
Philip Morris, which has been in the Richmond area for 74 years, is the area's largest private employer, with about 9,500 workers.
The company decided to close the export tobacco plant this year but did not set a date for the closing. Officials announced the decision Friday to the plant's 29 salaried employees and 77 production workers.
Philip Morris spokesman Jay Poole said the closing might not result in layoffs because the plant employees could be transferred within the company.
The job outlook for the plant employees will depend partly on how many workers take the early retirement offered by Philip Morris this week to as many as 500 Richmond-area employees.
The decision to close the plant is part of company strategy to focus on core businesses, such as cigarette manufacturing.
The plant is used to prepare "export strip tobacco" for overseas manufacturing operations to use in making cigarettes.
"This kind of blending activity is not directly related to cigarette manufacturing in Richmond," Poole said. "We want to focus on Richmond, Virginia, directly and solely as cigarette manufacturing."
by CNB