Elster says the company’s decision to shut down a manufacturing operation in Raleigh will not impact its North American headquarters, which also is based in the capital city.
“With regard to your questions, I want to clarify that Elster is only moving the manufacturing facility to Mexico.,” Elster spokesperson Dave Buster told WRAL News.
“That will affect some manufacturing jobs, but the bulk of our employees in Raleigh (engineering, marketing, sales, management, etc.) are not affected,” he explained.
Elster, a manufacturer of various metering devices and a developer of smartgrid technology, is shuttiing another facility in Orlando.
The privately held company has some 500 workers in Raleigh.
A British firm, Melrose, bought Elster last year in a deal worth $2.3 billion.
Some 98 jobs will be lost in Raleigh over the rest of this year as an electrical meter plant at 201 S. Rogers Lane, Elster said in a notice filed with the North Carolina Department of Commerce.
A newspaper in Ocala, Fla. reported that Elster is shutting a water meter plant in that city with some 200 jobs affected.
Asked if Elster might offer the soon-to-be laid off workers in Raleigh other jobs, Buster said employees will be handled on a “base by case bais.”
“I can’t comment on transfers of employees to other positions, because we have to take that on a case by case basis,” Buster said.
“This will be a gradual process, and the number of employees affected and the time frames are still being determined. However, we had a responsibility to notify our employees of the changes.”
Layoffs in Raleigh will begin on March 29 with 12 jobs being terminated. Another 23 are scheduled to end on June 28. The remainder will be cut as of Dec. 31, Elster said in the notice.
