
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 16, 1995                   TAG: 9505160086
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JEFF STURGEON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

INGERSOLL-RAND TO RESTRUCTURE

Ingersoll-Rand Co. said Monday about 20 percent of its Roanoke County work force faces being switched to new jobs or laid off under a restructuring to be completed by the end of 1996.

The affected workers - 85 of 425 employees - are assigned to production and office jobs in the plant's tool and hoist division, which is being phased out in Roanoke. They can stay if there's work in the rock drill division, which the company said is expanding. Workers received the latest update on the plan last month.

Dick Soltis, who manages the rock drill division's global manufacturing operations, said employment could well be the same as it is today when restructuring is complete in about 20 months. He hopes the process improves the plant's primary division, which makes rock drills for surface mining, road construction and well installation, he said.

"We feel it's a positive move because this division is judged on its ability to return a profit for Ingersoll-Rand on rock drill production, and this will allow us to focus," Soltis said. "Short term, there may be some bumps in the road as we transition in and out of product lines."

The plant at 7500 Shadwell Drive produced the tool and hoist class of goods, which includes winches and chain hoist lifting devices, from its opening in 1968. Rock drill work began at the plant in 1983. In recent years, declining profits from the tool and hoist unit and the emergence of new tool and hoist designs made at other Ingersoll-Rand plants caused a shifting of resources to the rock drill production, Soltis said.

The restructuring, though logical from a business perspective, has troubled some workers.

"There's a lot of concern among some of our older employees, including myself, who started with tool and hoist," Soltis said.

Soltis said the company is committed to retraining those whose jobs will be eliminated. As the plant's older division fades from the picture, it will gain work from rock drill plants overseas and the development of new rock drill products, he said.

by CNB