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Imperial Schrade closes doors for good
250 laid off from Ellenville knife-maker
By Jeremiah Horrigan
Times Herald-Record
[link widoczny dla zalogowanych Użytkowników]
Ellenville - Knife-making Imperial Schrade closed its doors for good today, laying off an estimated 250 workers and throwing this long-suffering village into something close to economic despair.
The business – which would have celebrated its centennial this year – had been failing for years. Management told the remaining workers of its failed efforts to bring in new investors at a 9 a.m. meeting this morning and by 9:15 a.m. disgusted workers began filing out, many in tears.
Miguel deJesus as he came out, turned to look back at the building and said" they're looking out for their money but they're not looking out for ours." The once-proud business, whose products were known world-wide, had been for decades the epitome of well-run, family-friendly local business.
But global competition had become so severe and the company, in an effort to remain in business, that it laid off more than 100 employees during Christmas week last year without ever giving a public explanation.
See tomorrow's edition of the Times Herald-Record for full coverage of this story.