NTN-Bower (Macomb, Illinois, a division of NTN Corporation of Osaka, Japan) recently laid off approximately 50 more workers from its Macomb, Illinois facility and is laying off an additional 45-55 from its other plant in Hamilton, Alabama. These recent job cuts totaled almost 12% of the workforce. In November 2001, 19 people were laid off from Macomb.

NTN-Bower manufactures heavy-duty cylindrical and tapered roller bearings for trucks, forklifts and heavy industrial equipment. The layoffs were in response to the continued down market in those business segments, and a first quarter loss.

The Macomb plant was originally built in 1966 by Federal-Mogul's Bower Division. In 1985 NTN joined as a joint venture with Federal-Mogul Corporation. NTN bought out Federal-Mogul's share in 1987.

Macomb employed just over 500 before the current layoffs; while down from its peak of over 550, it is still the area's largest manufacturing employer. The Hamilton facility employed over 400 before the layoffs. While Hamilton employees are represented by the United Auto Workers, several attempts to unionize the Macomb facility have been unsuccessful.

Carl Lomax, HR Director, said, "Hopefully, these layoffs will be short term in nature as the economy recovers and the plants are able to improve their efficiencies."

Before the economy started its downturn, the Macomb plant had been expanded by over 110,000 square feet to allow for more production.

NTN-Bower gained unwelcome worldwide notoriety from its tactics in attempting to fend off the UAW organizing drive. The company distributed now-infamous flyers threatening a move to Mexico, saying, "jobs may go south for more than the winter" and, "There are Mexicans willing to do your job for $3 and $4 an hour."

The company was also the defendant in a recent key legal decision which helped to define limitations of the Family and Medical Leave Act.