Thursday, October 20 2011
Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel says construction of the Ford Center created 30 percent more local jobs than originally estimated. The city says more than three-quarters of the nearly 1,600 workers on the new downtown arena are members of local trade unions. Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel is pleased to announce that the construction of the Ford Center created 30 percent more jobs for local laborers than originally estimated. Collectively, the 1,597 people who completed safety orientation training logged approximately 692,862 hours on the project. According to Hunt Construction, 1,275, or 80 percent, of those who worked on the Ford Center are members of local trade unions. An initial economic impact study, completed before construction on the facility began, estimated that only 50 percent of jobs created would be from local labor. “When we began this project in 2008, we knew it would benefit hundreds of local families by putting men and women from our community to work. Today, I am proud to report that the economic impact of the construction of the Ford Center has exceeded our expectations. With Indiana and the nation struggling with record unemployment, we created good paying jobs for nearly 1,300 area residents,” said Mayor Weinzapfel. “The construction of the Ford Center provided a much needed boost for all of our local craftspeople. We are proud of the work that’s been done and proud to have been part of the project. Hunt Construction created a great environment on the job and we couldn’t have asked for a better partner,” said Jack McNeely, President of the Central Labor Council. “The Ford Center is going to be a significant asset for Evansville.” To thank all of the men and women who worked countless hours to make the Ford Center a reality, a contractor appreciation event is being held this Saturday. It is a celebration of the workers’ achievement and an opportunity to showcase the project to family and friends. The multi-purpose Ford Center will be the region’s center for sports and entertainment, designed to host basketball, hockey, concerts, exhibitions, and shows for audiences as large as 11,000. More information is available at www.EvansvilleArenaProject.com and www.TheFordCenter.com. Friday, August 28 2009
Michigan-based Whirlpool Corp. (NYSE:HR) says it will close its Evansville facility in mid-2010, eliminating approximately 1,100 positions. Production of top freezer refrigerators will be transferred to Mexico. Icemakers are also produced in Evansville, but the company has not determined where that work will be relocated. Whirlpool is also evaluating options for the Refrigeration Product Development Center, which has 300 workers in Evansville. It was seeking up to 100 employees and those reductions were due to start this month. In February, workers accepted a new three-year contract, which included a pay raise of 95 cents per hour, new health insurance plan and a $350 signing bonus for most hourly workers.
Press Release BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Aug. 28 -- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) announced today changes to its North American manufacturing operations resulting in the closure of its manufacturing facility in Evansville, Indiana. The closure will eliminate approximately 1,100 full time positions in mid-2010. Production of top freezer refrigerators made at Evansville will be transferred to one of the company's existing manufacturing facilities in Mexico. Production of icemakers produced in Evansville will be relocated to a company-owned site yet to be determined. The announcement follows a comprehensive review of alternatives for product consolidation within the refrigeration product category. The company also said that it is currently evaluating options for the best location for the Refrigeration Product Development Center, which is co-located with the Evansville manufacturing facility and has approximately 300 employees. A decision is expected in the near futur"This was a difficult but necessary decision," said Al Holaday, vice president, North American Manufacturing Operations, Whirlpool Corporation. "To reduce excess capacity and improve costs the decision was made to consolidate production within our existing North American manufacturing facilities. This will allow us to streamline our operations, improve our capacity utilization, reduce product overlap between plants, and meet future production requirements. "We are announcing this decision nearly one-year in advance as part of our commitment to make the transition as smooth as possible." Whirlpool is committed to helping the affected employees and their families with the transition. Conversations regarding transition assistance will begin immediately. The company also said it would work with local and state officials to help ensure that all available training resources are made available to affected employees, and to reposition affected facilities for future job development opportunities within the community. The company's earnings and cash flow outlook for the full-year 2009 remain unchanged from the last update contained in its earnings release dated July 22, 2009. Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2008, 70,000 employees, and 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com/.
Source: Inside INdiana Business, Evansville Courier & Press |