Date: Fri 17-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Dual-Lite-Cheshire-economic

Full Text:

Dual-Lite Pulls Up Stakes And Moves Out Of Town

Dual-Lite, a division of GS Building Systems Corporation (GSBS), will move

from its Newtown location to Cheshire on Friday, November 17. The new 72,000

sq ft facility will employ approximately 200 employees including the executive

administration of two other divisions, Edwards and Edwards Systems Technology.

All of the 95 Newtown employees in administration were offered the opportunity

to relocate to the new facility and most have accepted, according to Mary Jane

Healy, director of Human Resource. The four or five people who are in charge

of closing down the small warehouse operation will lose their jobs.

Many employees who have enjoyed the convenience of working in their hometown

are not looking forward to commuting 45 minutes or more to the new facility.

But financial incentives made available through the Connecticut Department of

Economic Development and the Town of Cheshire to make the project possible,

according to Thomas S. Tesoro, vice president of Human Resources for GSBS.

"We made a commitment to remain in Connecticut and to choose a location that

would be convenient for most of our employees. Cheshire is ideal for us," said

Mr Tesoro. "We're looking forward to getting settled here and becoming a part

of Cheshire's corporate community."

The combined facility provides the company with greater efficiency, shared

communications, and shared resources, according to Mr Tesoro. It has been

designed to accommodate future growth and expansion. Sales, marketing,

finance, human resources, engineering, and administration departments are

located in the new executive facility.

Richard Hamann, who had been employed as quality control manager at Dual-Lite

for 19« years before retiring in 1992, regrets seeing the business leave

Newtown. "All five of my children worked there during the summer while they

were either going to high school or college. It was very beneficial to them -

it instilled in them what the work world was like, to some extent,...and paid

them a fairly good salary so they could buy little things they couldn't have

had otherwise," said Mr Hamann. "I think it was a good foundation for Newtown

because it employed so many people over the years."

Dual-Lite was established in the 1940s, and the Simms Lane facility was built

in the early 1950s, according to Ms Healy. The street name is comprised of the

initials of the founders of Dual-Lite. When the human resources director first

joined the company in the 1960s, it was a small manufacturing facility

employing approximately 40 people. "We've put on three additions since then,

and at one time had more than 300 people here," said Ms Healy. "For the last

five years we haven't done any manufacturing here, we've just had the

warehouse and administrative offices."

The company has been tied to Newtown over the years, in sponsoring youth

league teams and other community activities. "We're going to miss Newtown,"

said Ms Healy. "This town has been great for our employees - there are plenty

of places to go eat, to drop dry cleaning, doctors... But we are going to a

nice brand new building. This building is tired."

GSBS, a unit of General Signal Corporation, is a leading manufacturer of life

safety support products, including emergency lighting equipment, signaling

devices, and fire alarm systems for the commercial, industrial, and

institutional construction industry. Manufacturing facilities are located in

Idaho, Florida, Maine, Puerto Rico, and Canada.