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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIrwin Tools plans to shut down its 456,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center in Greenfield, laying off about 80 employees by the end of July.
In March, the company told plant employees that it would consolidate the Greenfield operations into an existing distribution center in Atlanta, according to company spokeswoman Hannah Van Malssen.
“We simply have more warehouse capacity than we need, and consolidating Greenfield into the much larger Atlanta facility will increase efficiency and improve customer service,” Van Malssen said. “This was a difficult decision to make, but is a necessary step to ensure we continue to compete effectively in a global economy.”
The company is helping employees find new work in several ways, including assisting them with resume preparation, job interview skills and networking, Van Malssen said.
It also will provide affected employees with supplemental unemployment pay, based on years of service, to make up the difference between unemployment insurance and current wages.
Irwin Tools, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Newell Rubbermaid Co., has leased the Greenfield facility since 2011. The company makes hand tools for consumers under several brand names, such as Vise-Grip pliers and wrenches, Marathon saw blades, and Unibit step drill bits.
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