EAU CLAIRE, Wisc.—American Phoenix, Inc., a custom rubber mixer, will furlough 46 employees.
"This layoff is the result of unforeseeable business circumstances," a June 19 letter from API to the affected employees stated. "This includes the COVID-19 outbreak."
The 46 furloughed employees are expected to be called back within six months, API said.
Positions included: two lab techs; three electricians; one routine electrician; two routine mechanics; 16 operator 1s; 13 operator 2s; three operator 3s; three operator 4s; one safety inspector; and two sanitation workers.
There are not any bumping rights for the affected employees; that is, employees will not be able to displace more junior employees out of their job positions as a result of this mass layoff, API said.
The affected employees will receive all benefits and wages to which they are entitled, according to API.
Founded in 1992 with the purchase from Michelin of its mixing equipment situated in the former Uniroyal Tire plant and located in Eau Claire Wisconsin, API operates one of the largest single location custom rubber mixing facilities in America.
They are a major supplier of rubber compounds, meeting exact customer specifications for premier manufactures in multiple industries. Their pre-weighed chemical packaging division also has facilities in Topeka, Kan.; Lawton, Okla.; Anniston, Ala.; Fayetteville, N.C.; and Danville, Va.