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CommScope to close Sidney facility, eliminate 140 jobs

City, state making plan to assist displaced employees

CommScope has announced it will close its Sidney facility and eliminate 140 jobs.

Employees will be laid off from the company in phases through mid-2016, when all operations are slated to be discontinued at the facility located along Greenwood Road in Sidney.

The company was formerly known as TE Connectivity. CommScope acquired the location in a deal that closed in August, according to Kris Kozamchak, CommScope director of corporate communications.

The Sidney facility manufactures copper cable and offers customer support, she said.

"Production of some products will be relocated to an existing CommScope facility in Claremont, N.C., while other product manufacturing that now occurs at Sidney will be outsourced of discontinued," the company said in a media release.

CommScope intends to sell the building that houses the Sidney operation.

According to the release, the location is being closed due to underutilization and available capacity elsewhere.

"These actions are difficult yet necessary, and we regret the impact on our employees," Chris Story, a CommScope vice president, said in the release. "We appreciate what the Sidney team has accomplished over the years and their ongoing professionalism. We will support them fully during the transition through our severance and benefits program and outplacement services."

Kozamchak said employees would have the option to apply for positions at other locations.

Sidney Mayor Mark Nienhueser said the city is

disappointed the company is leaving.

"But our first concern is for the employees," he said. "We're going to do all we can to help them find employment and stay here in Sidney."

Local and state agencies are working together with the city and the company to develop a plan, he said.

"We had a meeting [Thursday] morning with our local economic development team," the mayor said. "Plus, we had a conference call the governor helped set up with the state Department of Economic Development and the state Department of Labor."

Nienhueser said he also spoke with a representative from CommScope who said the company would partner with the other groups to help find employment opportunities for the workers who will be affected.

The scale of the layoffs is larger than the city has previously confronted, he added.

"But certainly the state has seen this before," he explained, "and that's why we reached out to them for their assistance in organizing this."

Despite the announcement, the mayor said Sidney continues to grow in many sectors.

"We're seeing growth in Sidney with the Love's Travel Center, three new motels, the Applebee's restaurant," he said. "So there are new employers coming to town looking for employees also."

Numerous businesses are building or expanding in the city and offering opportunities, he added.

"That's the positive thing," Nienhueser said.

 
 

Reader Comments(3)

Blondie writes:

TE(ADC) supported this community with the Night of Hope Walk(employees held fundraisers), donated to the pond project, etc.

Blindsided writes:

Seriously, Truck stops - Restaurants nor Motel employment can not even come close in comparison to wages OR THE QUALITY of benefits these employees have dedicated years, (decades for some) to achieve. However, acceptance is the answer to not be miserable over a situation we have absolutely no control over. It is what it is, so...just keep it real. It is a surprising blow, but majority of us are bonded like family with great work ethics. Together...one way or another we will get thru this!

blondie writes:

Love's Truck Stop,Applebee's and the hotels under construction will not replace the wages and benefits that these families lost. More people will be exiting Sidney and selling their houses.

 
 
 
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