Northern Engraving Corp.: Lansing plant closing late

La Crosse Tribune, Dec 21, 2002 by Cahalan, Steve

LANSING, Iowa - The Northern Engraving Corp. plant in Lansing, one of the community's largest employers, is expected to close by the end of December three months later than originally planned.

The closing probably won't result in a "mass exodus" of people from Lansing, partly because about half the plant's employees live in Wisconsin, said Doug Sharp, Eastern Allamakee School District superintendent and member of the Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce board.

Sharp said Friday the chamber is looking into the possibility of developing an industrial park, with the city's cooperation, to generate additional jobs in Lansing.

Lansing city officials were notified in June that Northern Engraving planned to close the plant in September, which would eliminate 172 jobs in that community of about 1,000 residents. Company officials have attributed the decision to a slowdown in the economy.

The Lansing plant makes nameplates for appliances.

Meanwhile, a U.S. Department of Labor official has turned down - a petition from some plant employees for the federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program for workers who lose their jobs because of increased imports. Last month, Certifying Officer Elliott S. Kushner turned down the petition for certification, saying most of the declines in employment at the Lansing plant are related to a shift in plant production to other U.S. facilities.

In their petition, some plant employees argued that TAA assistance should be made available because the Sparta, Wis.based company has been shifting some domestic production to its plants in Wales and in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In the last few years, TAA assistance has been available in the La Crosse area to laid-off employees of The Trane Co., Stroh Brewery Co., LaCrosse Footwear Inc., ALTEC International and Isola Laminate Systems.

TAA provides assistance for training, job searches and relocation, and allows for an extension of unemployment benefits.

Officials at Northern Engraving's Sparta headquarters were not available for comment Friday.

Kevin Kane, business representative for Allied Production Workers Union Local 12, said Friday the Lansing plant is expected to close by the end of December.

Sharp said Northern Engraving has indicated it does not want to sell the Lansing facility. "They believe they're going to keep it for storage and those kinds of things," he said. At one point, company officials said they might be willing to lease half the building, he said.

"It's going to be quite an impact" on the community, Sharp said of the plant closing. Some employees have been commuting to work, he said.

"I don't believe there will be a mass exodus (of residents) from Lansing," Sharp said. "There might be a few here and there that decide after awhile to leave, because they can't find appropriate work."

Unfortunately, he said, there are not many job openings in the Lansing area.

The community needs an industrial park, Sharp said, because "The land that is developable already has been developed by industry or has something on it." That's why the chamber is looking into the possibility of creating a new industrial park with city cooperation.

Lansing Mayor Ed Arnold said Friday that "a few" residents might leave the community because of the plant closing. "But I think people mainly live around this area because it is so cheap to live around here," he said.

Arnold agreed an industrial park is needed in Lansing. He also said he understands a business is interested in leasing space in the Northern Engraving facility, but said he does not know the name of the firm.