Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 14, 1994 TAG: 9410140075
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Most of the laid-off workers were on temporary assignment, according to the company's human resources manager, Carolyn Sink.
Employment at the plant now stands at 470, down 6 percent from 500 a year ago. Most of the other departures were due to attrition, Sink said.
The company declined to give pay rates for the lost jobs.
Also, the company is not replacing workers who leave. That's because the company's international business, especially in Japan, continues to suffer from the sluggish economy, Sink said.
The layoffs are not related to ongoing changes in the manufacturing process at the rock-drill manufacturing plant, Sink said.
The plant has been undergoing a transformation from a traditional manufacturing structure to a "demand-flow" system of production.
Under the new system, work flows steadily, eliminating the delay that occurred as work moved from one department to another, Sink explained.
Workers doing specialized tasks at dedicated spots in the plant now are being brought into one location with other manufacturing steps to create a "factory within a factory," she explained. One pilot area is already up and running.
The new setup allows the company to organize work in accordance with the demand for the company's products, Sink said.
Under the new system, workers will be more involved in making decisions, she said.
"We are seeing some dramatic improvements that will allow us to serve our customers better," she said.
Ingersoll-Rand, based in Woodcliff Lakes, N.J., is an international company manufacturing and distributing machinery for industry and consumers.
Its products range from door hardware and locks to pumps and drills for specialized uses.
It employs about 35,000 worldwide.
by CNB