SALISBURY, Md. - Some workers at the Labinal Power Systems plant in Salisbury, Md., may be able continue working for the company, according to Safran USA, the owner of Labinal.
After the announcement that Labinal will be closing its doors in Salisbury and moving the plant to Denton, Texas, city, county, and state officials have been working to help the some 650 workers who would be out of a job.
In a letter to Mayor Jim Ireton, Safran USA President and CEO Peter N. Lengyel said the company is working on several options to help the employees. Lengyel says Salisbury employees will have the opportunity to apply for available positions in Texas, and the company is also reaching out to other local businesses to "encourage them to consider hiring our employees." More importantly, Lengyel said they are seeking ways which might allow the employees to remain in Salisbury to provide technical support to its customers.
Lengyel said he shared his disappointment with the business decision to close the plant with Mayor Ireton and says if it wasn't for the City of Salisbury, the facility would have closed much sooner.
"I am heartened by this correspondence in which Labinal/Safran has stated it may be possible for some employees to remain in Salisbury," said Mayor Ireton in a statement Tuesday. "I am also proud of the efforts of David Ryan and SWED as they work to find every conceivable way of limiting the effects of the Labinal/Safran announcement. I assure the community that all these efforts are genuine and in the best interests of our economy and those who are a vital part of it."
Last week, Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski also sent a letter to Lengyel saying, " "I am very distressed and surprised by the news of the closure of the Labinal facility in Salisbury, Maryland. I urge you to rescind this decision. This news came as a complete surprise to me, the employees, and the Salisbury community."
Mayor Ireton also addressed Senator Mikulski's efforts Tuesday evening saying, "Salisbury is grateful for her effort."
Labinal says the move to Texas will be a slow process and is expected to be done by the end of 2016. The layoffs could start as early as May in Salisbury.
