Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, February 8, 1992 TAG: 9202080233
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
FACTORY DEAL ELUSIVE
Grumman Corp. said Friday it has not found a buyer for its Roanoke fire-engine factory but vowed to keep seeking a deal as long as possible.Meanwhile, the plant's backlog has shrunk to just two months worth of work.
"We will pursue offers as long as we can," said Grumman spokesman John Vosilla. The Bethpage, N.Y., company "has had a number of offers" for its Grumman Emergency Products Inc. unit, "but there's nothing real at this point," he said.
Vosilla declined to confirm or deny rumors among the workers that the company is asking $8 million for the plant, or twice a recent bid for the operation.
"It wouldn't be fair to comment," he said.
Grumman has had "continued discussions with interested parties who are interested in purchasing the plant," he said.
Bill Bruns, president of the Roanoke subsidiary, was out of town all week, apparently continuing his efforts to sell the operation. Bruns declined to comment, referring questions to Vosilla.
The Northeast Roanoke plant is "still plugging along" and "a couple months' work" remains, Vosilla said.
When Grumman announced Nov. 26 it was getting out of the fire-engine business, the company said operations would be phased out "over the next six to seven months as current orders are completed." No new orders have been accepted.
The plant had 270 employees when the closing announcement was made. A small number of office workers was laid off at the end of last year, but the production work force has not been reduced, Bruns said recently.
Robert Evans, a Detroit automotive executive and an early potential buyer, dropped his bid in December after Local 275 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union rejected his terms. The union later offered concessions, but Evans didn't want the deal.