TG Missouri to lay off 30 employees

PERRYVILLE, Mo. - Citing a decrease in customer volume, officials at TG Missouri announced this morning the reduction of nearly 30 hourly and salary employees from support groups and management.

Spokesperson Rhonda Ruark said the latest reductions did not impact production employees -- some recently laid off production employees have been recalled because of an increase in customer volume. However, that increase was not enough to prevent the layoffs announced today.

"TG Missouri's recent actions are an unfortunate but necessary step required to improve our company's performance due to ongoing poor business results," TG Missouri President Takashi Fujii said in a news release. "Employees in recent affected positions were offered severance and continuation of medical benefits based on their years of service."

After the reductions the automobile parts manufacturer will employee more than 800 employees at the Perryville facility. TG Missouri produces automobile safety systems and interior/exterior products such as airbags, consoles, steering wheels, painted trim parts and dashboard equipment. The plant is the first of parent company Toyoda Gosei's 10 facilities in the US.

Since February the company has temporarily laid off 175 employees, with the largest reductions occurring five months ago when 150 workers learned they would be without a job. About 50 of those workers have been recalled. Today's reductions -- which are about 90 percent hourly employees -- are permanent, Ruark said.

The Associated Press reported that overall automobile sales in May were down 34 percent compared to the same time period in 2008. The auto industry in the United States is projected to generate 9.5 million sales this year, compared to 13 million in 2008 and 16 million in 2007.

Pertinent address:

2200 Plattin Road, Perryville, Mo.