1,000 suburban workers to get pink slips
More than 1,000 workers at various suburban companies - including another 74 at Motorola Inc. - are expected to be laid off this summer due to closings or downsizings.
Motorola, which has ongoing restructuring, said it will lay off 74 additional workers around July 31 at its Libertyville campus, its mobile phone headquarters.
Motorola continues to work on saving about $1.7 billion this year, said Motorola spokeswoman Tama McWhinney.
"We continue to implement appropriate measures to conserve cash and reduce expenses through work force reductions, facility rationalization and reduced discretionary spending," she said. "This activity has been underway throughout the year across all businesses and regions. A specific job type is not singled out."
Motorola said in April that it would eliminate about 7,500 jobs by June. The 74 in Libertyville are additional.
"These are difficult decisions," McWhinney said. "In keeping with Motorola's core values, we are fully committed to helping our colleagues through this transition period while continuing to make customer service a top priority."
The additional layoffs at Motorola were among 2,700 affected workers at other companies statewide. Here's a sampling of more area layoffs to come:
• Automotive transmission repair firm ETX Transmissions Inc., 401 Terrace Drive, Mundelein, is expected to close this fall and eliminate 91 jobs. Formerly called Accurate Transmissions, the company was purchased by ETX Inc. in 2007. It will merge with a subsidiary called Alma Products Co. in Alma, Mich., said Vice President of Sales Al Victoria.
• Technical Concepts, 1301 Allanson Road, Mundelein, is expected to close by Sept. 1 and cut 67 jobs. The company, which makes products for the touchless restroom market such as automatic soap dispensers and touchless faucets, was acquired last year by Atlanta-based Newell Rubbermaid. The Technical Concepts products will merge with Newell Rubbermaid's commercial products business in Winchester, Va. Five workers in Mundelein will transfer to Virginia. Those being laid off will get severance packages and outplacement services, said spokesman David Doolittle.
• Stock Building Supply, which provides building materials for the troubled housing market, at 500 E. Kehoe Blvd., Carol Stream, and 1331 Davis Road, Elgin, are expected to close around Aug. 8. About 107 workers in Carol Stream and 92 workers in Elgin will be affected. The company, based in Raleigh, N.C., closed these facilities due to underperformance under its restructuring plan. The company emerged from Chapter 11 last week, said spokeswoman Giovanna Konicke.
• Metavante Corp, 881 Busse Highway, Elk Grove Village, is slated to close by Oct. 1 and will start laying off about 55 workers starting July 15. The company plans to consolidate its processing facilities, said New Jersey-based company spokesman Chip Swearngan.
• Chicago-based Methode Electronics Inc., plans to lay off "three additional workers" at 1700 Hicks Road, Rolling Meadows around Aug. 12. A spokesman declined to comment and a total number of layoffs was unavailable. Methode's fourth-quarter earnings report posted a net loss of $92.6 million, which included its automotive division that suffered due to the troubled industry. In March, Methode announced several restructuring actions and plans to reduce costs by consolidating facilities and moving manufacturing to lower-cost regions.
•TouchSensor Technologies LLC, 305-7 E. North Ave., Carol Stream, and also 203 N. Gables Blvd., Wheaton, plan an unknown number of layoffs around July 31. The Carol Stream facility then will close. TouchSensor was acquired in 2007 by Methode Electronics. A spokesman declined to comment
• Aramark Education, 66 Church St., which provides support services for the Lake Zurich School District, closed June 30 and eliminated 73 jobs. A spokesman was unavailable.
Other companies on Tuesday broke out their local layoff numbers that were part of previous announcements.
• United Airlines and American Airlines both said they would each furlough roughly 255 workers at their operations at O'Hare International Airport. United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the layoffs are part of an announcement made about a month ago that involved 600 flight attendants at various locations. The United layoffs are scheduled around Aug. 30.
American spokeswoman Mary Frances Fagan said the O'Hare group is part of an announcement made in June that included flight attendants, airport services and cargo employees. The American layoffs are expected to happen in October.