Joy Global to permanently close idled Milwaukee plant; 130 to be laid off
MILWAUKEE -- Joy Global will permanently close a facility it idled in November, resulting in a total layoff of 130 employees, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported on Wednesday, May 11th.
In November, the Milwaukee-based mining equipment manufacturer temporarily closed its heavy fabrication and welding department at its facility on National Avenue near Miller Park Way -- affecting 113 employees.
The company notified employees Wednesday, May 11th that the plant will not reopen, and another 17 employees will be impacted by the shutdown, according to a company statement:
"To optimize its global operations footprint and overall cost structure with the current and anticipated levels of demand, Joy Global is moving from a temporary idling to discontinuing operations in its heavy fabrication and welding department in Milwaukee.
The company announced the decision to employees Wednesday in conjunction with the mailing of an official notice. Approximately 130 employees are included in this notice, the majority of whom were already on layoff. The company will continue to keep all employees informed throughout the process and is offering severance packages or bargained benefits as applicable.
The rest of the company’s Milwaukee-area operations are not affected by this notice, as the company maintains a workforce at several area locations: its surface mining headquarters, its corporate headquarters and its Milwaukee Distribution Center.
This change will not affect the quality of Joy Global’s products or its ability to produce them. The functions previously handled by the Milwaukee heavy fabrication and welding departments will be covered by other Joy Global manufacturing and service facilities, and alliance partners.
Any heavy fabrication or welding that had been handled at the closing plant will move to other Joy Global facilities, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal.
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