Zeledyne produces last glass at plant

Some 210 workers are being laid off, but 320 others will make automotive products.

The last sheet of glass rolled out of the furnace at Zeledyne´s factory in southeast Tulsa on Friday. After 36 years of making glass for Ford Motor Co. and recently for commercial buildings, the plant´s operator shut down its second furnace and ended its glass-making in Tulsa. The facility will instead focus on cutting and finishing products manufactured elsewhere.

Company spokeswoman Della DiPietro confirmed the shutdown Friday. With the furnace operation gone, Zeledyne LLC is preparing to lay off up to 210 people near the end of this month. They were given notice Jan. 27. The layoffs come with Zeledyne´s decision to exit glass-making for commercial buildings.

The remaining 320 workers at the plant will make automotive products from glass shipped in from other facilities. Some employees are already leaving by using remaining vacation time to reach the March 27 layoff date, said Fred Dorrell, president of United Auto Workers Local 1895. "We´re hopeful that something will happen in the near future," Dorrell said. "But right now it is what it is." Dorrell said the union is hopeful that a buyer will step forward to purchase the plant from Zeledyne. The factory is rumored to be up for sale, and DiPietro said last month that the company was reviewing its business strategy.

Friday was the last day of work for 30-year employee Jim Ragsdale, who is using his remaining vacation time. "The last sheet of glass came off the line this morning," Ragsdale said. "After today, I´m done here." Zeledyne was created in 2008 when Tulsa businessman Robert Price bought the Ford Glass Plant, which opened in 1974. The company also owns a plant in Nashville, Tenn., and another in Mexico, but those facilities have been spared layoffs.