Lenze Corp. told employees Tuesday that it would shut down its Emporia plant and shift operations to the East Coast.
“They just told us about 30 minutes ago,” a worker who asked not to be named said around 3:45 p.m. “We had no warning.”
Betty Senn of Emporia’s Workforce Development Center confirmed the news Tuesday afternoon, saying she had had a Lenze worker ask her about unemployment benefits.
“We’re having difficult times here in our community,” Senn said.
The plant will close effective April 30.
According to a letter received by employees, operations are being shifted to AC Tech headquarters in Uxbridge, Mass. The Emporia plant is owned by AC Tech, a member of the Lenze group.
The company will discuss severance options in individual meetings with employees. According to the letter, Emporia workers will be given the chance to apply for openings in Uxbridge.
Lenze management could not be reached today for comment.
As of September, Lenze had 34 employees, according to the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas.
MelissaE (anonymous) says...
What a surprise--another business is leaving Emporia. Sounds like the city gov't is failing the entire community. Soon, we'll just zip right by that rusty ol' sign that says "Emporia" and drive on to Topeka or Wichita. GREAT JOB City Government!
Keep voting Republican.....after all, they are for big business and outsourcing, not SmallTown, America.
February 13, 2007 at 6:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jenna414 (anonymous) says...
How is our community growing when everything is shutting down? I have lived here for 26 years and the population really hasn't grown. I am tired of having to drive somewhere to shop, dine out for something "different" and for entertainment purposes. Moving is not an option, at least right now.
February 13, 2007 at 8:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Chrisferg (anonymous) says...
It's okay, there will be a new shopping plaza soon. Plenty of minimum wage retail jobs to go around for everyone.
The city "leaders" want you to spend your money here - and they don't seem to care where you earn it -- or if you can earn it here.
February 14, 2007 at 8:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rnemporia (anonymous) says...
The city government and the regional development association didn’t have anything to do with Lenze’s decision to leave Emporia, this is a free country and businesses are free to locate wherever they want to go. It was a business decision. There was nothing the government could do to prevent it. It is too bad for the workers, I personally know several of them and I feel terrible for them. You can’t blame the government for everything. If you do, then maybe you should get involved yourselves instead of sitting around griping about it.
February 14, 2007 at 9:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Phil_Dillon (anonymous) says...
Government does play a role in the economics of a city. One of the unfortunate realities of Emporia is that for close to a generation now we've hitched our economic wagon to big box retail and big box manufacturing. The end result has been low wage (Emporia's median household income - $30,000 per year is $11,000 per year less than the Kansas average, and far below national average) and extremely high poverty rates. That coupled with changes in the global economy has depressed wages in the manufacturing sector, brought on consolidation like we're seeing from Lenze and other businesses that are leaving Emporia. What Emporia needs is a move toward business development more in keeping with America's role in the global economy - the growth of small businesses in areas like bio-tech, bio-science, bio-fuels, information technology.
Some folks tell me that it can't be done, but I refuse to accept that. Emporia has a lot of intellectual firepower with the University and the Tech School. We've got got hard working folks, decent and honest, willing to learn and grow with this city. It can be done.
It will take time, it won't happen overnight. But we need to start moving in the right direction, right now.
I'm one of the candidates for City Commission and if I'm elected I intend to be one of the voices for a sea change that will set this city in the right direction. .
February 14, 2007 at 11:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ljluana (anonymous) says...
Just a comment..The city may have a very small part in Lenze closing but here's the facts..not only low wages, but had it offered better wages that would have encouraged good people to stay rather than to move on when the opportunity came around. I know first hand that local management was bad and also higher up too. This plant should have been the best money maker ever. but not the way it was managed. Poor management leads to disaster and plant closings.
February 14, 2007 at 12:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jenna414 (anonymous) says...
To "Snakes" comment "Who wants to live in Emporia any more, No place to work and having to put up with all the illegals and Sonalians taking what few jobs there are. Way to go Tyson Beef (TB)" There are plenty of jobs at Tyson available for ALL ethnicities, it's just a shame that locals can't get up for work, or can't pass a drug test. So don't bring this back to Tyson.
February 14, 2007 at 8:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )