Quad-City Die Casting to close in July
After more than a half century in business, Quad-City Die Casting has notified its work force that it will close its doors this summer.
Company spokeswoman Linda Norberg confirmed Monday that operators of the manufacturing plant at 3800 River Drive, Moline, sent out Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification, or WARN, letters Friday to notify employees of the July 12 closing. The action will affect about 100 employees, including members of Local 1174, United Electrical.
Norberg would not discuss the reasons for the closing and said the company had no other comment.
But Tim Curtin, a spokesman for the United Electrical’s national organization, said union leaders were surprised by the letter’s arrival.
“We’re all taken aback by this,” he said, adding that there had been no indication of a decline in business. “Ironically, a few people had been recalled.”
Curtin said Local 1174 represents 40 to 50 hourly current workers as well as 35 to 40 who are on layoff.
Norberg estimated that the company employs about 100 in all. The plant makes aluminum castings for manufacturing clients.
“We had lost work last fall, and there were big layoffs in the winter, but we thought things were starting to pick up,” Curtin said.
“Our first goal … is, if they want to get out of the business, to find another buyer in Moline,” said Curtin, who is based in Chicago. He added that union leaders were working to set up a meeting with management.
Quad-City Die Casting is owned by Drew Debrey, the company president. His father, Andrew Debrey, founded the company in 1949.
The pending shutdown comes about two years after the union workers were locked out for about two months during a contract dispute. The employees returned to work in September 2007 after approving a new contract, which runs through June 2010.
During the contract dispute, union leaders cited the company’s use of temporary workers in skilled positions as a sticking point. The eventual contract limited use of temporary employees and included a 3 percent raise.
Greg Rivara, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Employment Security, said he could not comment specifically on Quad-City Die Casting’s situation; however, he said, it is the state’s practice to put together a “rapid response unit” when employees are displaced by a work force reduction or a plant closing. He said the Illinois Department of Commerce and Opportunity and his agency work with the employer and bargaining units to bring services to affected workers.
The agencies can offer assistance with filing unemployment claims, resume review, career counseling and retraining.
“We would try to find the most convenient way to deliver the services,” he said, explaining that information can be presented to workers at the plant, a union hall or another location.
Separate programs are available to help business “stay in business or to help someone come into the company’s footprint,” Rivara added.
Rick Baker, president and chief executive officer of the Illinois Quad-City Chamber of Commerce, said he was not aware of the company’s decision. “You hate to lose good companies like that and for those people to lose their jobs.”
However, he said, the business climate in the Quad-Cities still is good. “I’ve had some very positive conversations with businesses — some planning to expand and other that are healthy. Obviously, their volume is down, but they’re still healthy and working through a slower time.”
Tags: Die Casting Company
May 13th, 2009 at 7:36 am
I am sorry for your loss, Drew Debrey, President of Quad City Die Casting Company
May 14th, 2009 at 12:35 am
Hello. Great job. This is a great story. Thanks!
June 11th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I think that it is aweful that this story focuses on the IL plant and fails to mention the people in Red Oak Iowa at the Red Oak Die Casting plant that are also loosing there jobs! And then to see a response from the President of the company on here and all he can say is “I am sorry for your loss” what the heck! If I was a man in your shoes I would be thinking of alot more to say than just that! You have alot of employees that are wanting answers and what are you giving them? NOTHING!
June 18th, 2009 at 10:26 am
I am sure he did everything he could to save the jobs of his employees. I am faced with the same decisions he is faced with every day. I believe saying “I am Sorry” is more than adequate.
Too many people who are “workers” will never feel the pain of being a business owner. Many workers always expect “more” even when the economy or customers demand “less”. Owners typically sacrafice payments to themselves to “make payroll”.
Drew offered a job and provided a job for many years. No one should expect more. He never offered to be their “daddy”.
September 5th, 2009 at 8:53 am
Drew’s FATHER WAS a DADDY to all QCDC workers–no matter who they were. You are right, however. Drew did not “offer” anything to anyone. I seriously doubt that the current President ever sacrificed any payments to himself. /signed/ Ex-HR Manager fired by current President (shortly after Andy named him President) after 15 years of service to QCDC and successfully negotiating a Union Contract with the then union employees who received more from the Company than they even asked for. All employees in those days were VALUED by QCDC. (Oh yes, today is September 5, 2009–day after QCDC officially closed during prior to the end of a shift without further notification of any kind.) Yes, I’m sure Drew did everything possible for his employees…NOT!
September 7th, 2009 at 8:22 am
It was probably that union contract along with falling sales and increased metal and energy costs that closed the company. Not the ownership or management.
The sad part is employees will never know how much this die casting company owner actually “did sacrifice” to keep the company running as long as it was open.
Oftentimes employees believe that the purpose of a business is to pay employees, not provide a service and sell products.
I choose to believe Drew did everything possible to keep his company open and his people employed.
February 17th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Yes Admin is correct, most employees want more, being a business owner in today’s environment is not easy. We have outsourced our future to the Chinese, you should blame the trade agreements and the government. Stand up and vote. Instead of blaming the president. I am very certain he lost his own job too, so its not easy running a company. If its so easy why dont you the “employee” start a business and then take that RISK and fail. It’s easy to blame the owner, I have worked for many owners in the past some are good some are bad, its a personality issue. So be considerate and try to understand its not personal. Do more to attract other companies to RED OAK instead of being bitter.
February 17th, 2010 at 8:23 am
Thank you Ramesh Patel for the comments. I cannot believe that anyone could think that a company president is not doing everything possible to save the company he works for. It would be against his nature as a trained manager.
This is what people should focus on: Is it worth the cheap prices to lose our economy to inexpensive overseas manufacturers? Not everyone can get a job at McDonalds to support their family.
I wish all the best to the employees of Quad City Die Casting Company, including the management.
June 29th, 2010 at 10:04 am
I worked for quad city diecast for 8 years. In that time I was payed a reasonble salary, Although diecasting is a hot dirty and dangerous job I enjoyed it during those years. I felt it was time to leave after those 8 years due in part to management one person in particular who was not a very fair minded man a fellow named rex.
July 15th, 2010 at 9:04 am
I hope things are going well for you now.
January 17th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
For all you that say Drew did his best well i worked there and no hell he didn’t you barely if ever saw him and the management he hire in the last years before he closed the place down were asses who thought they could run the place by treating the employees like crap and not listening to the employees that had been there for 15 to 20 yrs on what would help make better parts. the parts were crap and the new management kept trying to get them by the customers and that is why the are closed the customers started pulling out starting wirh polaris.
January 17th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
Deb, thanks for your comments. Do you think that the managers tried to screw up the company?
June 28th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
I think when you run a business and you have people that were working there for your daddy and then you (DREW) which means that they had been there longer than him and he doesn’t come out of his office very often to talk to his employees and he hires people like micky who was a short man that never work in a die casting company and would not listen to his employees when they (who most had work there for 20 to 30 yrs) tried to tell him what they thought the problem was and treated us like we were all stupid and lazy. and then there was don who kissed well you know what so and also treated the employees like crape and they were stupid and lazy. I Feel like drew didn’t really give a crape if we closed or not because he sure didn’t try to talk to the employees and see what they could and would to do to keep from shutting down. I heard that when his daddy ran it and they came on hard times that because he always treated his employees with respect that they were will to do what he needed to keep it going. There is a saying that goes like this” WHEN YOU BEAT A DOG ENOUGH IT WILL EVENTUALLY TURN AND BITE YOU” and i believe that is what happened here.