Will consolidate operations at existing plants in Streetsboro, Ohio and Perrysville, Ohio
STREETSBORO, Ohio (January 5, 2010) —The Step2® Company announced today that the company will close its Fort Valley, Georgia manufacturing plant and move operations to its Streetsboro and Perrysville, Ohio manufacturing plants, effective immediately.
The company notified its Fort Valley plant’s 104 full-time employees today. Affected employees will be paid at their regular rate of compensation and eligible employees will receive access to full benefits for the next sixty (60) days, in keeping with requirements of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act. Full-time employees also will be provided severance packages, including tiered severance pay and benefits based on years of service.
“Faced with the challenging retail environment, our focus on efficiency, lean manufacturing and productivity has led us to make the difficult decision to close the Fort Valley facility and fold those operations into our Ohio manufacturing plants,” said Scott Levin, Step 2 President and
Chief Executive Officer. “The decision is not a reflection on the work or dedication of our employees; they have done their jobs well. We also appreciate the partnership we have had with the City of Fort Valley and Peach County. We believe in the quality and desirability of our products and are confident that these hard decisions will best position us for continued success in the months and years ahead.”
Company officials are also contacting city and county government representatives to discuss the announcement. The Fort Valley facility opened in 2000.
About the Step2® Company
The Step2® Company is a family company with brands including Step2®, Infantino®, and Thinkativity® that foster learning and development through creative play in children from birth to school-age years. Step2, based in Streetsboro, Ohio, is the largest American manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys and the world’s largest rotational molder of children’s and home products, including children’s play kitchens, playhouses, outdoor toys and ride on toys, as well as home products such as mailboxes, gardening aids and trash cans. Infantino, headquartered in San Diego, Calif. is a leading designer and international distributor of innovative and original infant, toddler, and preschool products. Featuring fashion-forward designs, the popular product lines include classic creative baby toys and puzzles, innovative soft baby carriers, and simple, no-fuss baby travel systems. Step2, in partnership with Case Western Reserve University’s Schubert Center for Child Studies, sponsors CreativePlayPlus.com, an online resource to provide parents with the latest research on creative play and child development. Visit www.creativeplayplus.com for more information on this partnered initiative. Visit www.step2.com and www.infantino.com to learn more about The Step2 Company brands.