Lewistown, PA, Oct. 3--Mifflin County's manufacturing community was dealt another blow Wednesday when Lear Corporation officially announced it will be closing its Lewistown plant, according to the Lewistown Sentinel.
The 278 employees at the facility, located in the Mifflin County Industrial Park, were notified by company officials that the plant would be entirely shut down by Feb. 15, 2004. A statement regarding the closure was read to employees during each shift on Wednesday.
"With the reductions in the auto market, Lear, as well as other companies is facing excess capacity resulting in a need to consolidate and restructure our business," said the statement, which was sent to The Sentinel by Lear Corporation.
"This decision is not based on plant performance or quality issues but rather the need to consolidate operations as a result of current and anticipated market sales," the statement continued.
Director of Corporate Communications for Lear Andrea Puchalsky stressed the consolidation is "not any reflection on the workforce."
"When certain model programs run out we have to reconfigure where production occurs," she said. "We have new orders but we don't have them to support that particular location."
Production will be curtailed at the Lewistown facility beginning on Oct. 31 in accordance with a phase-out plan. The projected closure date of mid-February could change based on customer schedules and anticipated sales, said Puchalsky.
The news is also disturbing for those in the community working on economic development.
"It is unfortunate," said Rob Postal, Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation president, "But it is no reflection on our workers or the community. If there is a silver lining, it is that we could offer a new company a willing and quality workforce if they take over the building."
Lear management will meet with union officials to begin affects bargaining within the next 30 days. Salaried employees will meet with human resources managers to discuss their possible options and concerns.
Lear Corporation operates 300 plants with the Lewistown facility producing flooring and acoustics for the automotive industry. Puchalsky noted the Lear plant in Carlisle manufactures the same products, but she could not confirm if any employees from the Lewistown plant might be able to relocate to the Carlisle facility.
