Precision Valley Survivor: Lovejoy Tool Co.
Warren Garfield is giving a tour of the Lovejoy Tool Co. factory, carrying his workingman’s frame with a graceful ease among the maze of rooms and jungle of machinery spread like sentries throughout the red brick building. If Garfield appears as comfortable on the floor of the Springfield, Vt., factory as a man does in his own home workshop, it’s understandable: He has worked at the company for 50 years, starting the day after he...
Leadership Upper Valley: ‘Show Them the Magic’
It’s a common problem among manufacturing companies in the Upper Valley and elsewhere: Experienced employees are nearing retirement, and there aren’t enough younger folks lining up to replace them. “We have been realizing over the past few years that we need to think outside the box to recruit talent to GW Plastics,” said Cathy Tempesta, human resources director for the Bethel-based company that specializes in precision injection...
U.S. Markets Plunge After China Sell-Off
Washington — Stocks on U.S. exchanges plunged Monday in the wake of an overnight sell-off in China that was triggered by fears of a weakening global economy and heightened Middle East tensions. The Dow Jones industrial average fell more than 450 points before recovering somewhat to close down 276.09 points, or about 1.6 percent, at 17,148.94. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed down 1.5 percent while the technology heavy...
Polartec Textile Plant to Leave Mass.
Lawrence, Mass. — The current owner of a Massachusetts textile factory that made national news 20 years ago when the former owner continued paying workers after a catastrophic fire has announced it is moving manufacturing out of state. The announcement Thursday by Polartec LLC came one day before the 20th anniversary of the blaze that destroyed the Lawrence company, then called Malden Mills. Polartec said it would move manufacturing...
Concepts NREC Hosts Students
Wilder — Students from several Upper Valley schools were granted a rare glimpse into the world of high-tech manufacturing on Thursday when they had the opportunity to tour the shop floor at Concepts NREC, a designer and maker of precision turbomachinery equipment. The tour was offered as an “open house” in connection with National Manufacturing Day and Vermont Manufacturing Month, national and statewide programs designed to give...
