Latest Victim of the Wonderful US Economy...

entropic remnants

Hall of Famer
Name
John Griggs
...is yours truly.

http://www.delawareonline.com/artic...odyssey=mod|breaking|text|Home&nclick_check=1

My company is closing it's doors. I'm paid through December 13th, but work will likely stop sooner.

Not sure what I'm doing yet, but I suspect this will impact my GAS, lol. Under our current management -- who haven't a clue -- this has been coming for awhile. I worked there for 22 years. At some point I'll be doing a blog post on the place with lots of pics, including some I've not published though nothing really spectacular.

Our mill was in operation for almost 100 years. Our main running gear is from the 1960's and we couldn't compete as a "commodity" supplier. Our technique was to base our existence on customer service and specialty products where our higher cost structure didn't hurt us as much. But, the new "modern" managers decided we needed to compete with the low cost suppliers with more modern mills... what a bunch of maroon's as Bugs Bunny would say.

We had over a decade where we were #1 in customer service among steel plate producers and almost always towards the top of the list. We aren't even on the top 10 list anymore -- that's how bad they messed us up.

Interestingly, some of the great managers we got were people who had destroyed other American manufacturing enterprises, including some paper mills (paper mills? WTF were they doing managing steel?) Basically, they took what they did that killed other companies, and shared that goodness with us -- with predictable results.

[SIGH]
 
Sorry about your uprooted job.

People that buy or inherit companies, instead of building them, don't have a very good record of success. Many times they run it into the ground and write it off as a loss, to help another part of their holdings. There is no job security in our world today. Everything is in constant turmoil and change.
 
Oh, John, that is the most depressing thing I've heard in a while. As someone who has been through this drill himself, my heart goes out to you and your colleagues. It seems, even after the experience of the Big Three automakers in Detroit, much of American industry hasn't learned much about competing for the long term.

The only advice I can offer right now is to begin adjusting your budget immediately, constantly think outside the box and consider jobs you never would have before, and don't be afraid to call in favors from anyone. If there was ever a time to do that, it is now. We're pulling for you. Please stay in touch with us.
 
Sorry John. Hope you find a new gig quickly. I'm also sad to see a further reduction in manufacturing :(

What did they say they're doing with the site? Malls and condos?
 
Sorry to hear that John! :( hope you'll get another satisfying job soon!

Cutting back on your spending right away, as Biro said, is probably a good idea... when I had to stop working due to my thesis taking up all my time, I was amazed to find I could save well over a hundred euros a month just by buying cheaper food brands and taking my own food to uni instead of buying stuff there...
 
Terrible news, John. My sympathies.

But... lots of good wishes won't get you back in paid work. At worst they can reinforce your feeling sorry for yourself.

Now is the time for action. Not tomorrow, not Monday, now. Plan your expenditure and calculate how long you can go with the money you have. Decide on the job or jobs that you want and tailor 4 or 5 versions of your basic CV. Plan your re-employment like a military campaign, with a goal, strategy, tactics and actions. Work your network. Pump it hard. If you are not already on something like Linkedin, join. Pick up the phone, talk to people.

Remember this. It is harder work to find and secure a job than to jog along in one.

Positivity is your greatest asset right now. Be the man that people will employ because of that positivity.

I have been made redundant twice, the first time two weeks after my mother died - just before my wedding reception... Trust me, that was a low point - but things got better because I refused to lie down and wallow.

Good luck - a sincere wish. But use all our best wishes as a seed around which to build your own greater good fortune.
 
Sorry John: I've worked at places where the managers didn't need to know the specifics of what they were managing, just had to have a general background in "management". It always seemed like a crock of sh... to me.

Then, of course, there's money to be made by certain people in destroying viable companies.
 
First of all, thanks for the kind words.

Several of you asked me questions and I will get to them later, but I wanted to make sure I acknowledged the replies first.

I will be okay. I have easily marketable skills and so forth (not that it will necessarily be a slam dunk to find work) -- but if you are a praying person then pray for all the hourly steelworkers who DO have mad skills -- but may have a hard time finding something that makes use of them out there for any kind of real money.
 
John, my wife and I will definitely keep you, your family and your coworkers in our prayers. If you ever head down to Houston, please drop me a PM. We'll have to go looking for some haunted places to take photos.
 
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