Future of Welch's plant in Lawton uncertain

LAWTON, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – Workers at the Welch's plant in Lawton are worried about their jobs as the company evaluates each of its plants nationwide.

Workers heard from plant management at an afternoon meeting on Wednesday, and now there are worries about potential job losses that could be a big blow to the community.

Newschannel 3 is getting two different views of what the future may look like at the Welch's plant in Lawton. Just after 3:00 Wednesday afternoon, Newschannel 3 was there when the plant-wide meeting let out. Many workers were hesitant to give us any information, but a family member of several employees tells us that if production slows at the Lawton plant, that plant will close before August 2010.

If production at the Lawton plant can remain at a certain level, the plant will stay open until August of 2010, but then shut down. That's one version of what employees learned on Wednesday. The other involves layoffs over the next three to five years involving as many as half of the employees currently working at the Lawton plant.

One employee told Newschannel 3 that the Lawton plant currently employs 310 to 320 employees, so if that downsizing occurs, it would mean 150 to 160 people could be out of work in the next few years.

The company says that reports of closure are simply not true. Welch's website says the Lawton plant is its second-largest, with employees producing juices, jams, and jellies.

Welch's did release a statement saying;

"Welch's, the leading marketer of Concord and Niagara grape-based consumer products, recently completed a major Strategic Plan designed to transform itself into a more efficient organization so it can focus on growing the core of the business which includes Concord and Niagara grape-based products, innovation and building its international presence. To achieve critical efficiencies, Welch's is discussing and negotiating various options to restructure our manufacture plants with our Union. Until these negotiations are complete, specific impact to our employees and ultimately the communities in which we manufacture our product is unknown."

Newschannel 3 also tried to contact the local union representing workers at the Lawton plant, but have not yet been able to reach the union representative.