Layoff round 4

[EZ3PUTT]

We were told at our monthly meeting last week that this week we will see the 4th round of layoff's in the last 3.5 years. I have seen our shop go from about 35 down to our current level of 15. This week may or may not touch the machine shop. If it does I will see 2-4 more co-workers out of a job. Anyone else in a similar situation ? Are you adding people, laying off or holding steady ? The short term for us is a little tight but the future is quite bright. My confidence is high that I will survive yet another round this week.

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

We were growing earlythis year/late last year, now we're holding stable. 3 shifts, Days week, Nights Week, and Weekend Day.

[mold100]

I see alot of the manufacturing picking up rapidly, Especially in the past 2 months.

[HevyMetl]

We just keep adding more and more to the repsonsiblities of the Mold Shop here. I hired another guy to work nights and keep machines running, ie cut down my workload. Management saw it as an opportunity to put more through the shop.

 

The good thing is we keep increasing our capablities and keep things in house. Bad thing is some of our smaller vendors are suffering.

 

Word to the wise: diversify.

[chris m]

Sorry to hear that your place is hurting; I spent about 1 year wondering if the doors would be chained when I came in on Monday. We're straight out right now and just hired 3 guys from temp to permanent this week. Looking good here at the moment.

 

C

[Slixmix]

Rumors are flying around here of this week also!

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...The good thing is we keep increasing our capablities and keep things in house. Bad thing is some of our smaller vendors are suffering.

 

Word to the wise: diversify.

---

I know this sucks to say but your responsibility is not to your vendors. You need to keep your doors open first, because if your doors close then your smaller vendors are hosed anyway. Better one loss than two. We invested $3mil last year on more capacity and 24-7 unmanned capability with 500mm Mori Horizontals and 800mm Mori Horizontals. Bottom line... it allows us to increase capability/capacity while not affecting the pricing to our customers in a bad way.

[HevyMetl]

I totally agree with you James. I was just pointing out that too many small vendors rely whooly upon one big customer to make their payroll, and anything else is icing.

[RickG]

We just moved into a new building 4 months ago but still just holding even. 12 total.

alot more machines than people. Sad to say.

[Scott Bond]

We are adding more Machines and variety of machines, as well as a few more people.

[Brendan P]

My place has been steadily picking back up.

We had our go's with the layoffs.

 

Our vendors are pissed at us because we have been slipping deliveries.

This prolly wouldn't be happening,but ever since we brought in Human Resorces,the guys are protected from having to earn a real days pay.

Like running 1 machine and reading a magazine instead of running 2 machines.

[Mike Whitten CAD/CAM Contractors]

I have made it thru 8 layoffs in the last fifteen months. There was five at my last shop and then It came down to just a few days of work a week. I came here about fifteen months ago and have made it thru 3.

 

I does look a little better for manufacturing but the last 3-1/2 years have been BRUTAL! for the northern Cal area.

 

Mike

[iowajim62]

Been there done that.

9 layoffs over the last 3 years.

From 9 buildings down to 3.

From almost 900 people to around 300 people.

Sales of 7-12 million a month to borrowing from the mother ship. Pretty sad state of affairs.

I finally got it in April after 10 years on the job. But life goes on bro. Been getting phone calls for jobs around the area and talking to a few of them. Not really worried about getting another job, just picking the right one.

Keep your head below the radar and pray

Hey NFranco duck

[Gary]

we have been steadily increasing work. Deliverys are suffering some from it. We as well as most of the area shops are having a real hard time finding qualified help. No one wants to pay any more than anyone else but they want only the best experienced help. Something is going to have to give sometime.

[jenks]

Laying off here.

[dan m]

11 more guy's getting laid off friday for a total of 23 from our dept. sure wish somthing would give.

[biss03]

same here as gary is experiencing to the north. job load is steadily increasing (actually looking at getting a couple more machines) and the sales guys are quoting jobs non-stop. as related to a previous post, i have to thank gary for reiterating my thoughts about finding qualified help.

[Shady]

Glad to say that we are booming here, about 60 employees total...10 in machine shop. We just added a new warehouse. Have work scheduled to hold us for next year if we dont get any new orders. Would love to hire 1 or 2 more quality machinists. ~~~~~Shady

[EZ3PUTT]

Today was it, 3 in the shop and 15 company wide.

[Slixmix]

Rumor has it, tomorrow and 42 people.

[chris m]

Ouch and OUCH

 

That sucks guys; sorry to hear it

 

C

[gcode]

quote:

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Rumor has it, tomorrow and 42 people

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The "Sue your boss" law that Gray Davis signed

during his last week in office was the last straw

for a lot of California companies. By the time

the legislature is done, there will be no one left in California but lawyers and welfare reciepients

[SLJ]

We're going great guns, just a small 10 man shop, but continually adding new jobs. Most of what we do in aircraft parts, and our major cutomer is totally snowing us under. Also listed on Boeings top 20 supplier list(not related to # of parts only). I've been programming 5-8 new jobs a week for several months now, and we just got a call this morning, they want to place 50 more in the near future! On vacation next week, sorely needed!!! Steve

[Guest CNC Apps Guy 1]

quote:

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...our major cutomer is totally snowing us under...

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Can you find enough other business to make up for kindly rejecting their business? Some customers are just not worth having as customers.

 

JM2C

[SLJ]

James

We are getting the major portion of our work at the moment from this major contractor, who handles most machining for Gulfstream, and has large contracts with Avcorp(Canadair), Boeing and Ratheon. have a great relationship with them, though they are overloaded at the moment and are pushing for us to take on more work, and get more machinery and people. This, in addition to our 400+ Boeing part #'s, Cobalt boat machine parts and various other small jobs. With me being the one and only programmer/engineer here it kind of puts me in a bind on occasion . It would help if most of the aircraft stuff were better quantities, this 10-20 part a year stuff gets old!

I'm don't think I've answered your question, but with Boeing and others mainly quoteing large assemblies, and much of that going overseas(lost parts to Turkey and Korea lately), we just don't want to burn many bridges.