Gusmer consolidating, cutting work force

LAKEWOOD, N.J. (Feb. 13)—Gusmer Machinery Group Inc. will reduce its Gusmer-Admiral Inc. Akron plant work force and shift some production of single RIM equipment and mixing heads to its larger Lakewood facility. The moves are part of the second phase of a three-part corporate restructuring program aimed at improving manufacturing efficiencies while streamlining new technology development,according to Douglas S. Commette, Gusmer-Admiral vice president of sales and marketing. The firm is cutting eight to 10 employees from its staff, mainly RIM equipment production workers, he said. The Akron plant will continue to make automation components primarily for the polyurethane industry. "We're following the same game plan we came out with in June," Commette said, uniting all its PU dispensing units—Gusmer-Admiral, Gusmer Corp. and the Equipment Automation division of Sauk Rapids, Minn.-based Komo Machine Inc.—under one management team.