Jeld Wen lays off 80, shutters N. Springfield plant Work will move to Ludlow and other locations

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC

On Wednesday, most employees at the North Springfield Jeld Wen Door Systems plant learned that they would be losing their jobs and that their workplace would be closed immediately.  Also happening immediately will be consolidation of the Springfield operations into the company’s Ludlow plant.

The company employed 180 between the two facilities.

According to Caryn Klebba, Jeld Wen’s head of Global Public Relations based in Charlotte, N.C., 80 of the company’s employees were “separated” but were provided “a competitive separation package and outplacement services to help provide a smooth transition.”  Klebba also said that those laid off could apply for positions throughout the company.

According to the company’s website, Jeld Wen operates “117 manufacturing facilities in 19 countries located primarily in North America, Europe and Australia.” The company manufactures windows and doors.

She noted that the Springfield and Ludlow plants are “very similar” and consolidating the operations into a single plant “is part of the ongoing, comprehensive effort to optimize our global operations.”

“Through broad deployment of our lean manufacturing principles,” Klebba wrote in an email to The Telegraph, “we have identified significant operational and cost-efficiencies by consolidating two closely located Vermont operations into our Ludlow facility.”

In the end, Jeld Wen expects to employ approximately 100 people in Ludlow while “shifting a portion of our operations to other locations in our network.” Klebba said she could not specify where the shifted portion will go but described it as “minimal.”

Klebba confirmed that 80 people were laid off on Wednesday while some have been asked to stay to on to help with the transition to Ludlow.

Bob Flint, executive director of Springfield Regional Development Corporation, said Thursday that his agency was “somewhat stunned” by the move, but grateful that the company is remaining in the region.

“This is counter to what we’re hearing daily from many other employers in the region, in various sectors, whose business remains very robust,” said Flint. “But there certainly are storm clouds with the global economy/fuel costs etc. – and this may be an indicator of a pending decline in home improvements.”

Kyle Thweatt of Vermont’s Department of Labor told The Telegraph that his agency and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development have been in touch with Jeld-Wen regarding the layoff but they have not yet received an official notification letter outlining the cuts.

Thweatt said that his department has begun the process of coordinating services for those who were laid off and asked those in need of help to call the Division of Workforce Development at 802-289-0999 or online at labor.vermont.gov/jobs. For assistance with unemployment insurance service the contact number is 877-214-3332.

Flint said SRDC would be assisting the Labor Department’s rapid response to help those who were let go find new positions.

“Given the job market in the region, I anticipate a bit of a feeding frenzy from area companies,” said Flint. “I’ve already heard from three employers and I know more will be reaching out as the news spreads.”

Klebba said that that the company hasn’t decided what to do with the North Springfield location, at 36 Precision Drive. That factory has been used by Jeld Wen since 2007. The Ludlow location is older.