KraftMaid lays off 400 employees

By HOLLY SCHOENSTEIN

KraftMaid said the layoffs were caused by a downturn in the housing market.

MIDDLEFIELD — About a year and a half after MASCO Corp. unexpectedly laid off hundreds of workers at a KraftMaid Cabinetry production facility in Middlefield, it hit employees Friday with another round.

A combination of 400 hourly and salaried employees from production facilities and offices in Middlefield and Orwell were affected. Middlefield is in Geauga County, and Orwell is in Ashtabula County.

Kathleen Vokes, director of communications for MASCO, said the “unprecedented downturn in the housing market” is the reason for the layoffs. “This is strictly market driven,” she said. “If you look at the statistics, it’s just a continuing downturn both in the construction and remodeling markets.”

KraftMaid laid off about 400 employees in January of last year. The company announced its plan earlier this month to lay off employees in Utah.

As of January 2007, MASCO — the parent company of KraftMaid and about 30 other companies — employed about 62,000 people.

Vokes confirmed affected employees will be offered assistance but declined to disclose specifics, citing protecting their privacy.

“I have no idea what the future will bring,” she said. “Best case scenario will be that the market will improve, and we’ll be able to bring employees back to work.”

hschoenstein@vindy.com