Splenda Plant “Moth-Balling”

Economy Unemployment NEW INFORMATION Company officials confirm production will stop at McIntosh plant. More than 100 workers will lose their jobs.

by Jessica Taloney

Published: Wed, May 27, 2009 - 3:56 pm CST Last Updated: Thu, May 28, 2009 - 11:25 am CST

Thursday 11:00 a.m.
Officials at Tate and Lyle PLC confirm the company will shut down production at its Splenda plant in McIntosh, leaving more than 100 workers without jobs.

News Five first reported the layoffs Wednesday on WKRG.com.

Chris Olsen, a company spokesman, said layoffs could start at the end of July, and the plant will completely cease operations by March.

The British-based company has manufactured the artificial sweetener for 10 years in southwest Alabama.

Company executives said they have decided to shift all sucralose production to a newer facility in Singapore to cut costs and enhance productivity, according to the associated press.

Union leaders, who spoke to News Five Wednesday, were upset about the decision saying this is another example of a company "shipping jobs overseas."

Wednesday 5:00 p.m.
Workers at the Splenda plant in McIntosh will soon be out of a job.

According to a union leader, employees were told today the plant will be "moth-balled," meaning it will shut down production at least until the economy gets better.

Robby Smith, a six year veteran at the plant, says at least 50 workers will lose their jobs July 31st. The company's other 80 employees will be out of work by the end of the year.

Smith, a shop steward of the International Association of Machinists, says he's concerned because the company's Singapore plant is stepping up its production.

"The Singapore plant will increase their production wide open, while the American plant is moth-balled," said Smith.

Splenda officials did not immediately return News Five's call for a comment.

We'll continue to follow this story as it develops.

WKRG.com » News Stream » Alabama

Photo
Map

WKRG.com Related

Jobs –› Local Job Listings

News –› Alabama

News –› McIntosh

Discuss this in the forum

Email to a Friend

Printer Friendly

Page 1 of 3 pages 1 2 3 >

goneisland2 Says:

Wed, Jun 03, 2009 at 8:11 pm

Amen!
This president hasn’t a clue and is going to leave us in a deep depression.

coldkid Says:

Tue, Jun 02, 2009 at 9:05 pm

When Obama announced that he was going to spread the wealth with the poor the big company’s that did not have to be over in the great USA packed their bags and went where they could keep their earnings.
A country cannot survive with the veiw that they seem to have.
We had better get off our lazy cans and go vote for a President who knows how to run a country not one who knows how to get something for nothing.

Sony Says:

Mon, Jun 01, 2009 at 12:14 pm

This is gonna hurt so many families!!!! I am afraid that our familes in Washington County may really start feeling the effects of this bad economy.But when this president or whatever he is came in to office everyone should have known this stuff was gonna happen.I heard someone say the other day that a man and his wife both worked at the plant and are both loosing their jobs,thats bad but whats even worse is there are no other jobs to get around here!!!! But one thing,God always takes care of his children,and thats a promise we can lean on.He wouldn’t take us to it if he wasn’t gonna bring us through it!!!!!

cameo Says:

Sat, May 30, 2009 at 5:31 pm

Management: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 288,281
Business: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 348,028
Computer: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 472,632
Architecture: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 184,347
Life sciences: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 36,770
Legal: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 76,642
Art, design: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 29,564
Sales: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 226,564
Office: Number of jobs moving overseas by 2015: 1,659,310

http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/jobflight.html

goneisland2 Says:

Sat, May 30, 2009 at 5:24 pm

Can we stop the Bush bashing? You got your man in office. Maybe he can right all the wrongs Bush has been accused of! I doubt it though.

claycitymadness Says:

Sat, May 30, 2009 at 7:34 am

use to get real. it was bush one who in december of 1992 signed legislation autorizing the inplementation of NAFTA. he thought he was gonna get another 4 to implement it and clinton bested him in the election. blame where blame is due, in this case bush I

use2coould Says:

Sat, May 30, 2009 at 5:16 am

We need to thank Clinton for opening this can of worms and making it eaiser for companies to move to other countries where overhead is cheaper,and they don’t the same strick regulation that our companies go by. The union can’t do anything to help, the union is alot of our problems also, they served their purpose at one time but we have laws in place that will protect the people. Union wages are higher, you pay dues and they keep lazy peoples jobs. That is why they are moving. I will not buy splenda anymore for sure.

bella33 Says:

Fri, May 29, 2009 at 10:48 pm

I agree to boycott the product and any product that contains splenda. Be sure to send an email on the splenda website to inform them of your Patriotism to support the US.

goneisland2 Says:

Fri, May 29, 2009 at 7:59 pm

There are many reasons to boycott Splenda. One of my main concerns is quality control of the product being made in Signapore. Companies in the Far East are known for contamination of products. One of the reasons I intend to boycott it is that I don’t want to use the product only to find out it was contaminated.

I agree ickthus needs to double check what he/she has written before posting. It is difficult to understand what is not articulated well.

cmb1 Says:

Fri, May 29, 2009 at 12:51 pm

Union? The wages are cheaper over seas!

Page 1 of 3 pages 1 2 3 >