"Housing is not doing the best it has been in the past and ABB is having to lay off some employees, 25 employees, hourly employees."

Matt Boyle, the human resource director at the plant, explained how the company is helping these employees. The employees will receive a severance package and a week's pay for each year of service, as well as medical coverage for three months. The company is trying to cushion the blow, he added.Business manager of the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce, Shaun Sappenfield, supports ABB in their decision, and sympathizes with the company.

"With the sluggish housing starts They are trying to maintain the status quo, but, uh, it's hard to do, when you don't have, uh, orders coming in like they have over the past few years."

When the housing market returns to normal levels again, ABB hopes to bring back employees, which will be determined by seniority. This is strictly determined by the market for their products. © Copyright 2012, KBIA