Dixon, Illinois -
After working more than 21 years at Johnson Controls, Dale Lawson can't shake the sinking feeling.
"It's a shocker to everybody," he said. "It really is."
Finding out the Dixon plant will close this fall. A decision that will wipe out 211 jobs when the economy is down and out. Workers expect that the plant will close for good in early October. They'll receive a severance package and retraining opportunities.
"For us, starting in Polo at a Ma and Pa shop and coming to a big facility like this, watching it build to this magnitude, and then it's gone," he said.
Gone because the global downturn is dramatically dropping demand for the refrigeration units and air purifiers it makes for industrial use. During what should be its busiest time of the year, workers are struggling to get their hours.
"Everybody is pretty down," said Jim Fisher, a machine operator with seven years on the job. "We're trying to keep going as good as possible, but we know it's going to come."
While this is the biggest hit to the Dixon economy during the recession, its ripple reaches to other local businesses that work with Johnson Controls. Businesses that could also feel the pressure from the decision.
This city of 16,000 dealt with tough times before. But after delivering significant financial incentives to Johnson Controls for its expansion in Dixon, the closure hits even harder.
"We had no warning about it at all," said Mayor Jim Burke. "It was quite a shock, definitely."
Concern now for occupying the prime industrial real estate and reaching out to displaced workers.
"We're trying to get some jobs created," said John Thompson, president of the Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "Get some of these people moved into some jobs that may be out there for them."
"This probably affects 211 families," Mayor Burke said. "It's a big deal."
A big deal as lunch hour ends on Monday. There's uncertainty for workers with the future up for grabs.
"The jobs aren't there," Lawson concluded. "They've got the knowledge. It's just that the jobs aren't there, and it's everybody."
"It's going to be rough on all of us," Fisher concluded.
Rough on Dale Lawson and Jim Fisher as they wonder what's next.
"It's a shocker to everybody," he said. "It really is."
Finding out the Dixon plant will close this fall. A decision that will wipe out 211 jobs when the economy is down and out. Workers expect that the plant will close for good in early October. They'll receive a severance package and retraining opportunities.
"For us, starting in Polo at a Ma and Pa shop and coming to a big facility like this, watching it build to this magnitude, and then it's gone," he said.
Gone because the global downturn is dramatically dropping demand for the refrigeration units and air purifiers it makes for industrial use. During what should be its busiest time of the year, workers are struggling to get their hours.
"Everybody is pretty down," said Jim Fisher, a machine operator with seven years on the job. "We're trying to keep going as good as possible, but we know it's going to come."
While this is the biggest hit to the Dixon economy during the recession, its ripple reaches to other local businesses that work with Johnson Controls. Businesses that could also feel the pressure from the decision.
This city of 16,000 dealt with tough times before. But after delivering significant financial incentives to Johnson Controls for its expansion in Dixon, the closure hits even harder.
"We had no warning about it at all," said Mayor Jim Burke. "It was quite a shock, definitely."
Concern now for occupying the prime industrial real estate and reaching out to displaced workers.
"We're trying to get some jobs created," said John Thompson, president of the Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry. "Get some of these people moved into some jobs that may be out there for them."
"This probably affects 211 families," Mayor Burke said. "It's a big deal."
A big deal as lunch hour ends on Monday. There's uncertainty for workers with the future up for grabs.
"The jobs aren't there," Lawson concluded. "They've got the knowledge. It's just that the jobs aren't there, and it's everybody."
"It's going to be rough on all of us," Fisher concluded.
Rough on Dale Lawson and Jim Fisher as they wonder what's next.
