Wilcox helping workers

CHENEY – The 47 employees who will be laid off when the Wilcox Family Farms milk processing plant in Cheney closes had an opportunity last week to network and attend a job fair sponsored by the company.

The closure came after the company announced last month that it would close its Roy, Wash., facility and plans to expand its organic and cage-free egg product lines.

There were no plans to shut down the Cheney plant at that time.

“After further consideration of the marketplace, our family has determined that it is not economically feasible for us to continue in the dairy processing business,” company officials said in a press release. “We are continuing to see higher operating costs, and milk processing has become dominated by large business. It has not been a profitable venture for several years.”

The milk processing plant has been in Cheney since 1997 and produces over 230,000 gallons of milk a week. The company gets the milk from local farms, brings it to the plant for processing and sends it back out to be sold.

Wilcox is trying to help its laid-off workers find new jobs.

Linda Thomas, an outplacement consultant, said the company has been around for three generations and the owners feel it is important to help employees. One of the ways they did that was the job fair.

“We have great employees,” Thomas said. “All 47 are dynamite people.”

Thomas said she called employers around the area who agreed to talk about job opportunities last Thursday.

Allpak Containers in Cheney was there with a stack of applications, but they quickly ran out and had to leave.

There were also representatives from Darigold, Humanix, Haakon Industries and Cascade Windows.

Thomas said they also set up six computers so employees could check the Internet for jobs or apply online. She said she is offering tips on salary negotiations and will help workers write or update resumes.

“At least 15 of them have offers they could accept or not accept,” Thomas said. She said workers were offered incentive packages to stay through April 30 when the plant closes. If employees want to keep those packages, they can’t accept immediate job opportunities.

Plant manager Mark Kloster is among those losing his job.

He said he has been with the company for almost a year and has been utilizing job fair resources since he found out the plant was closing.

“I think it was a great thing that Wilcox did, without a doubt,” Kloster said of the fair.

The company also helped employees of its Roy plant last month. Kathy Martin of the Martin Firm, a public relations company, said the job fair was very successful.

Kloster said that he and other employees have a long checklist of things to do before the plant shuts down, including getting equipment ready for auction.

Cheney Mayor Allan Gainer said that he has been a supporter of stimulating business growth at the south end of the city and hopes there will one day be an industrial complex in the area.

“It does put a damper on our plans,” Gainer said. But he still has high hopes for another company to buy the building and set up shop.

Wilcox Farms is also a major city utility customer. When the plant closes, the city will lose that revenue.

“It’s sad,” Gainer said. “I like Wilcox. They’ve been good for the community.”

Kloster said he expects the auction to be held on May 15, and the facility will be sold through a realtor.

Wilcox will also hold another job fair for its employees April 16.