CFM Expands Layoffs;

Two Plants Affected

By Sara Nelson

Vermont Castings/CFM Corp. announced more layoffs this week.

The company, which produces stoves and other cast-iron products, has a foundry in Randolph where more than 30 employees have been out of work since late October; starting March 10, the remaining employees will be laid off and the foundry shut down for two weeks.

And starting next week, the company’s enameling and assembly plant in Bethel will be shut down for the remainder of February through March 31, leaving about 120 people out of work for that period.

Most of the employees are covered by unemployment insurance, but for those who have been out of work since October, the 26 weeks of unemployment pay allotted is "slowly but surely running out," general manager Dale Trombley said. The company is continuing to pay 82% of health insurance costs for laid-off employees.

Trombley said he’s taken actions to bring non-stove-related work to the foundry, but could not promise the plants would be back up and running in April. He said the layoffs are a response to "a very soft market" for stoves and other cast-iron products.

"We’re totally at the mercy of the market," he said.

He said that the current situation is "the most severe" set of layoffs he’s seen in the past 14 years.

Trombley said that the laid off employees have been "very loyal" to CFM.

"They’ve been very supportive, positive, and helpful, and I couldn’t be prouder of them. To have to shut down for lack of work is a very sad process."