The consolidation will result in the company's closing its McConnelsville,OH manufacturing plant. Gould said it recently completed negotiations with the International Association of Machinists regarding terms of the McConnelsville closing, including severance pay and incentive pay for employees who remain at the facility during the consolidation process.
Gould announced on January 15, 2003 that its CAC (copper aluminum copper) production will also be consolidated at the Chandler facility, North America's largest copper foil manufacturing plant, resulting in closure of Gould's Hampstead, NH plant. This consolidation is also expected to be completed during the first three quarters of 2003. Gould's production of specialty products, research and development and administrative functions will continue to be housed at the company's Eastlake, OH facility.
L. Joseph Huss, Gould president and chief executive officer, said the decision to concentrate the company's production in Chandler is based on the high efficiency of the facility and its ability to accommodate additional production lines, as well as the opportunity to reduce overhead. He said the consolidation is necessary due to substantial excess worldwide copper foil capacity coupled with unprecedented depressed market conditions and contraction in the U.S. printed circuit board industry.