Continental Cement is blaming continued low demand for the layoff of 28 hourly workers.
The move is the second big reduction in employees this year, but the first since new owners took over.
“Demand for our product has continued to decline,” said Scott Conroy, Continental’s vice president for manufacturing.
The cut brings the number of employees at the plant to fewer than 200. At one time, the number was more than 250.
“It’s difficult,” Conroy said. “The employees we’re having to lay off are good employees and have been very important to our past success.”
Twenty-six Continental workers got pink slips in April and were not brought back.
A month later, Summit Materials of Washington, D.C., bought the facility on Highway 79 at the south edge of Hannibal for an undisclosed price.
Earlier this year, the Portland Cement Association predicted increases in construction would pave the way for improve cement sales, but Conroy said there are few glimmers of hope on the economic horizon.
“The expectation is for no rebound this year or next,” he said. “We’d sure like it to be better.”
Conroy also did not rule out future layoffs.
“We will continue to evaluate staffing depending on the demand for our product,” he said.
Summit is a building materials company that was formed by a group of investors last year. Continental was its fourth acquisition.
Tough times began to hit the cement industry as the recession deepened in 2008, just as Continental’s new, state-of-the-art kiln went online.
The company laid off 71 workesr in February 2009, but most were called back six weeks later.
The Hannibal facility has been in business since 1903.
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Continental Cement is blaming continued low demand for the layoff of 28 hourly workers.
The move is the second big reduction in employees this year, but the first since new owners took over.
“Demand for our product has continued to decline,” said Scott Conroy, Continental’s vice president for manufacturing.
The cut brings the number of employees at the plant to fewer than 200. At one time, the number was more than 250.
“It’s difficult,” Conroy said. “The employees we’re having to lay off are good employees and have been very important to our past success.”
Twenty-six Continental workers got pink slips in April and were not brought back.
A month later, Summit Materials of Washington, D.C., bought the facility on Highway 79 at the south edge of Hannibal for an undisclosed price.
Earlier this year, the Portland Cement Association predicted increases in construction would pave the way for improve cement sales, but Conroy said there are few glimmers of hope on the economic horizon.
“The expectation is for no rebound this year or next,” he said. “We’d sure like it to be better.”
Conroy also did not rule out future layoffs.
“We will continue to evaluate staffing depending on the demand for our product,” he said.
Summit is a building materials company that was formed by a group of investors last year. Continental was its fourth acquisition.
Tough times began to hit the cement industry as the recession deepened in 2008, just as Continental’s new, state-of-the-art kiln went online.
The company laid off 71 workesr in February 2009, but most were called back six weeks later.
The Hannibal facility has been in business since 1903.
