Layoff at Case.

stockdog said:
I ordered a Peanut, Med Trapper both in the new chestnut bone CV...
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You're gonna love those. Case quality in the last few years has really gone up a few notches, IMO. Their Chestnut bone is just beautiful. My favorite was the old red bone, but now it's the Chestnut.

thx - cpr
 
This sucks. I hate our freakin economy! however I am a little confused. The article states that with the prior layoffs of 31 people the company lost 30% of their workforce. If that is true then them laying off 78 more people would put them in the negatives by 9% on employees. or am I just crazy and reading that wrong?
 
scotsmanspride said:
This sucks. I hate our freakin economy! however I am a little confused. The article states that with the prior layoffs of 31 people the company lost 30% of their workforce. If that is true then them laying off 78 more people would put them in the negatives by 9% on employees. or am I just crazy and reading that wrong?
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Since when does the media get the numbers right, or your name spelled right?:confused:
 
scotsmanspride said:
This sucks. I hate our freakin economy! however I am a little confused. The article states that with the prior layoffs of 31 people the company lost 30% of their workforce. If that is true then them laying off 78 more people would put them in the negatives by 9% on employees. or am I just crazy and reading that wrong?
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I visited Case several times last November and December to tour the plant and to do research in their archives for my forthcoming b**k.

At the time of my first visit I believe that they said that they had recently grown to 450 associates...at the time of my last visit in December, they were talking about layoffs. So it appears that those percentage numbers were incorrect, asuming that my understanding is correct.
 
jackknife said:
Maybe everyone should do thier Christmas shopping early to help out.
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Another idea is to go out to the other online forums you guys frequent and spread the good word about this company's products. Grassroots, word-of-mouth testimonials can be more effective than any ad campaign.
 
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I only recently got my first Case, a Yellow Copperlock.
I have a Large Amber Bone CV Case Stockman on its way to me in the mail.
Hmmm maybe i need a Case Barlow.
So whats their smallest Trapper model?

I hope the company weathers the storm!

Maybe we need a "post pics of your Case knives" thread.
Or is there one already?
 
knifeaholic said:
I visited Case several times last November and December to tour the plant and to do research in their archives for my forthcoming b**k.

At the time of my first visit I believe that they said that they had recently grown to 450 associates...at the time of my last visit in December, they were talking about layoffs. So it appears that those percentage numbers were incorrect, asuming that my understanding is correct.
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If they had roughly 450 associates (including management/clerical/sales), and have lost 109 "workers" in the layoffs we know about, they probably have lost at least 30% of their production workers.
 
Wow this is the first that I have seen this news. This is a Hard hit for jobs in that area of PA. There isn't much up there.

I've been wondering how the Knife business was doing in these times with so many cutting back on their buying to save as much as they can.

I hope the Case company can survive though this.

Has anyone heard any news on how the Queen knife company is holding up?
 
I just shot off an email to a friend at Case to ask for a current status report if one is available.

He may pop in here or share something that I can post within the thread.
 
Blues said:
Considering that Case is the big dog when it comes to traditional knives in this country, one would have to wonder what's going on behind the scenes in the handful of other companies we have come to know and support.

In some situations, the parent company may be able to keep the subsidiary afloat for a while. Others may not be so fortunate depending on circumstances.
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I was thinking the same thing. The other thing is that Case may have a larger overhead to deal with than one of the smaller companies. The thing is that in a tough economy, little luxuries may or may not be something that gets bought. Hey maybe we should start a rumor that Oboma is going to ban pocket knives and we could get a run on them like the firearms industry! Good luck to the workers at Case!
 
oldrifleman said:
I was thinking the same thing. The other thing is that Case may have a larger overhead to deal with than one of the smaller companies. The thing is that in a tough economy, little luxuries may or may not be something that gets bought. Hey maybe we should start a rumor that Oboma is going to ban pocket knives and we could get a run on them like the firearms industry! Good luck to the workers at Case!
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LOL You that something like that could work? :D:D:D
 
I blame the Tactical Knife Mafia. All kidding aside, I hope things work out for the workers at Case, and for the American Knife Industry in general. I am worried about Case, Kabar, Buck and Ontario - as well as the smaller companies.
 
Just got off the phone with my friend at Case. Essentially he states that they are still strong and viable and fully intend to bring the workers effected by the layoffs back on board as soon as the economy allows.

He also sent me the following news clip to share with you all from the local paper in Bradford, PA:

It seems like the same story repeated across the nation, with a different company in the hot seat. This time it’s W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Co. who announced layoffs this week.



“When the national economy comes around, and people start spending money, we’re going to bring people back,” explained Fred Feightner, Case communications and marketing manager.



Feightner said the company has cut back to operating only one shift per day, eliminating the second shift with Tuesday’s lay-off of 78 factory workers. The workers were informed at the beginning of the work day, and the lay-off was effective immediately.



“It’s a cost-cutting measure,” he said, explaining that the idle factory will result in a financial savings to the company.



Company officials cited the poor economy and increased inventories as the underlying causes of the layoff.



“The economy is out of our control, and that’s the source of the problem,” Feightner said. “Until this turns around ... when this turns around, we expect to bring people back.



“The economy is the source of our sales being slow.”



Feightner said there’s no reason to worry about the future of the company itself, as it is in good shape.



“We’re quite fortunate we opened up 400 new doors last year,” he said.



Feightner said it was a somber mood at Case on Wednesday. The workers there are close-knit, and the loss of 78 associates was deeply felt.



“We’re all part of the same team and we’re all pulling for each other. That hasn’t changed. People are still conducting themselves in a businesslike fashion.



“They understand how important it is to work efficiently and effectively,” Feightner said. “That’s the way to bring these co-workers back to work.”



The company is doing what it can to make sure the displaced workers are connected with available services from CareerLink and the Rapid Response Team. Starting April 15, Case will be providing the affected associates with unemployment filing assistance and job training guidance with the help of Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry and CareerLink of McKean County.
 
Thanks for that Blues!

I wrote it all off as April 1st. crap, figured I'd wait and see how the fact went a couple days later... Thanks again for the info..

G.
 
Thanks Blues.:thumbup:

I guess it up to us now, to do our part by buying a (lots of) Case Knife/Knives. It's the right thing to do. :)
 
Oh dear... Sounds like I'll have to actually get *new* knife from Case now, to show my support. I've always been an advocate of the "why contribute to the production of new goods, using resources, etc. when there are already perfectly good products in existence that I could use" school of thought, but I suppose now's a time to break that rule!
 
78 is a lot and these are likely skilled specialist workers.
Other knife companies are very likely in a similar state,I just hope they can retain their factories so that when things do improve then there will be something for the workers to return to.
 
You know, with this playing in the background last night I think I may have convinced the Wife that buying about 5 Case Knives would be not only be for the good of the Country, but the state of Pennsylvania. :D

America, The Beautiful : Ray Charles '91

[youtube]ghz4_kikLkE[/youtube]
 
I bought my son a Case Sodbuster Jr. at the local ACE Hardware. (He was eyeing that new Boker Elliot sent me. I had to plant a decoy. ;) ) They have a few Case knives that are several years old (ie: old stock, just hibernating on the shelf.) I told them that if they'll re-order Case brand knives, I'll find a way to help move the current stock for them, through recommending to friends, getting my Scout's fathers to buy them as first knives for their sons, etc.

Summer camp's coming, gotta have a good knife for that, you know . . . :)

thx - cpr
 
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