Armstrong Shuttering Mississippi Hardwood Plant

Vicksburg, MS, Feb. 11, 2009--All 124 employees of the Armstrong hardwood flooring manufacturing plant in Vicksburg were told Monday they won’t have jobs in 90 days, but managers said the shutdown may not be permanent, according to the Vicksburg Post.

“We aren’t eliminating manufacturing (in Vicksburg) forever, said Beth Riley, vice president of corporate communications. “Hopefully we can restart operations in the short term, but it strictly depends on the return of the markets.”

Riley said the overall economy and declining demand for flooring products in the residential housing market forced Armstrong to lay off employees at three plants across the country, including one in Jackson, where approximately 100 employees will lose their jobs.

Similar layoffs will also occur in plants in Texas and Missouri, said Riley, while a vinyl flooring plant in Montreal is also being temporarily closed. In total, roughly 600 people will lose their jobs, and Riley said there are no plans to offer them work at other plants throughout the country.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have options for them at other plants based on our volume reduction,” she said. “We’ll be working with them to provide on-site assistance with their job search efforts, and obviously they will be eligible for a recall when the time comes.”

Armstrong World Industries purchased the Vicksburg plant in 2006 from Capella Wood Floors, which was started by Anderson-Tully Co in 2000.

Related Topics:Armstrong Flooring, AHF Products