Plant owner vows to rebuild as workers fill out jobless forms
February 7, 2006
BARRY HALVORSON - Victoria Advocate
YOAKUM - Some Tex Tan employees thought they had found a career with the company while others knew they had one, at least until an early morning fire destroyed the company's manufacturing plant Saturday.
Tex Tan employees, former employees and members of the community showed up at the factory Saturday morning to move large boxes of saddles and other merchandise from the warehouse after learning that the factory was on fire and had been burning since earlier that morning. The company plans to convert some buildings at the site into a temporary manufacturing plant.
On Monday those same employees were filling out Texas Workforce Commission paperwork in the company office conference room while Tex Tan President Jay Cassell was doing everything he could to rebuild and arrange for a swift return of the lost jobs.
"It's very hard today," Veronica Brown said. "I've been working at Tex Tan almost 30 years so I've never done this (fill out TWC forms). It's unbelievable to me right now. But I guess starting over is all I can do, at least until the company rebuilds."
Also filling out the paperwork was Mark Petru, who started with Tex Tan on Oct. 7, stitching binders on saddles.
"I can't believe this," he said. "I've worked for a lot of places but thought this one was going to be it. I was even helping train someone new and the last thing I said to her on Friday was I'd see her Monday. I don't know what's going to happen now. I guess it's back to looking for a job. The hard part is that I was really enjoying what I was doing."
While Brown and Petru were meeting with Texas Workforce Solutions of the Golden Crescent representatives, Cassell was reiterating Saturday's pledge to rebuild in Yoakum.
"I met with representatives of the insurance company on Sunday and are meeting with them again (today)," he said. "We're doing everything we can to expedite the process and get back into production as soon as possible. I've already been in contact with other local companies to see what equipment they have that we can borrow, lease or buy."
Until a new building can be constructed, Cassell said the company will convert some existing buildings at the production location into a temporary manufacturing plant.
"We've got a couple of options at that location," he said. "We've been using them for storage and we'll probably need some upgrades to the electric system but the biggest challenge will just be cleaning them up. Hopefully within 30 days we will be producing finished products again. The company has been here since 1919 and we're not leaving."
Cassell said he has also been fielding calls from both vendors and customers who are willing to work with the company to help them get back into production as rapidly as possible.
"I've gotten calls from customers saying they'll be there for us when we start up again," he said. "Some have even said they'll do what they can to expedite payments due us to help us with cash flow to resume work. And the vendors have told us that when we start needing supplies they be ready to ship right away. Tex Tan is a leader in the leather goods industry and business was good which is why we're in such a hurry. We want our employees back so we can start getting merchandise to our customers."
Cassell considers himself a newcomer to Tex Tan with only 20 years with the company.
"I have the luxury of a management with years of service to lean on," he said. The list of those people includes supervisor of hand toolers Emma Welfl with 40 years, and credit manager Barbara Ondrusek and cost and purchasing supervisor Donald Prause, both with 35 years.
"Many of the employees are people we've known for years and we're very anxious to see them return," Ondrusek said. "The owner (Dallas-area businessman Don Motsenbocker) wants to get set back up and wants to get back up and wants to get the people back to work."
For Cassell, the importance of Tex Tan and the leather industry to Yoakum really came alive the morning of the fire.
"It brought out the best in people," he said. "For example, I only had to make one phone call and we had people showing up to clear the finished products from the warehouse. One of our two forklifts was trapped inside. But all of a sudden, we had a second forklift that Soehnge Do-It Center sent over. The local Texaco station wouldn't accept payment for bottled water and donated it. I even saw Mayor Annie Rodriguez walk across the parking lot carrying a saddle. When you see something like that, you know that something special is going on."
Cassell said H-E-B also offered assistance.
"H-E-B approached Tex Tan about how they could help," Cassell said. "They gave us the option to buy gift cards at a greatly reduced price and because of the impact this will have on the community, we accepted that offer. We are buying a $100 gift card for each employee to help them out during a difficult time. We recognize H-E-B as a long-time supporter of the Yoakum community and appreciate their willingness to step up and help in a time of community need."
Cassell said that several city employees, along with his own workers, their families and ex-employees helped empty the warehouse. He has since been in contact with the city for additional assistance.
"I've notified the city of our intent to rebuild," he said. "And we want to get under way as quickly as possible. We've talked to them about potential state and federal grant programs that they might be able to assist us with."
To keep the information flowing between the office and the employees, Cassell said every supervisor was brought in Monday morning and given a list of the people in their departments with instructions to call them directly. In addition, he said the company is setting up a hot line for employees to call for updates on the rebuilding, when jobs become available again and any other information they might need which the company can assist them with.
"We want to help them with anything and everything they can be helped with," Cassell said.
# Barry Halvorson is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at 361-798-3888 or hvilladv@vicad.com, or comment on this story at www.VictoriaAdvocate.com.
