Paul Mueller begins rehiring workers after layoff

Just weeks after laying off roughly 200 production workers, Springfield stainless-steel fabricator Paul Mueller Co. is rehiring more than half of those to begin work next week.

In a company news release, Paul Mueller officials said the company's layoff in mid-December was in conjunction with a previously planned holiday plant shutdown.

But the company says industry numbers are promising for the future, leading to the decision last week to call back 114 employees, who will begin work Jan. 11. Additional workers could be called as needed, according to the release.

"Looking to the new year, the level of new orders entered during December 2009 was positive and the outlook for 2010 is encouraging," the company said in the release. "Additionally, milk prices increased during late 2009 and are expected to continue to improve during 2010."

Mueller stainless steel vessels are used in a variety of food manufacturing operations, including milk, beer and wine production, as well as for water purification in the pharmaceutical industry.

The company pointed to the recession's impact on the capital equipment market as the cause for employee layoffs both in Springfield and at the company's Osceola, Iowa plant.

The company also met with the Springfield plant's Employee Bargaining Unit on Wednesday about the employee call-back. Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 208 represents Mueller workers. Plans also were discussed for "significant reductions in operating costs" in 2010, according to the release.

"The Springfield plant Employee Bargaining Unit Committee has been very open and cooperative in past efforts to implement effective change in Springfield, and as a result, we expect our discussions will result in additional changes toward a stronger and more profitable company," the release stated.[[In-content Ad]]