169 at Saxon face layoffs (Norman, OK)

[UpInArms]

http://www.newsok.com/article/1276249/?template=business/main

NORMAN - One of the state's most successful textbook publishers will move to Texas after the new owners of Saxon Publishers Inc. said Wednesday it will shutter operations in Norman with the loss of 169 jobs.

Harcourt Achieve, a unit of textbook giant Harcourt, said last month it would buy Saxon for an undisclosed amount. At the time, Harcourt representatives said it was too early to talk about possible personnel changes.

The company told employees Wednesday that it will close Saxon's warehouse and headquarters in Norman. Eleven employees have been offered transfers to the Austin, Texas, headquarters of Harcourt Achieve, spokesman Richard Blake said.

<snip>

The announcement caught local officials off guard. Most thought the school textbook company, which was founded in 1981 by John H. Saxon, would remain in Norman under its new owners.

<snip>

The Federal Trade Commission ruled June 25 the acquisition by Harcourt would clear an antitrust review ahead of the legal deadline. The sale closed July 1.

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[RoyGBiv]

1. Lovely...

Well, I guess that means my job application there won't be very successful. :-/

I've spent most of the last couple weeks trying to decide whether to accept an offer to move out of state. Little tidbits like this keep popping up everywhere. I wonder if I'm being told something.

[guitar man]

2. Not surprising

Not surprising at all, layoffs are a daily occurrence here. Tulsa has lost well over 25,000 jobs over the last two years with no end in sight I don't think OKC is much better off.


Hey Roy:


There might be an opening coming up at my company. I am trying to get them off their dead asses to hire some help. It doesn't pay a lot, but we have a decent benefit pkg. PM me if you're interested.

I'm in Tulsa right now, about to head to OKC to work, so it may be a while before I get back to you.

[fishwax]

3. I worked there for years

In various capacities, and still have many friends there. Had lunch with them today, in fact. It really is a shame, in a lot of ways, but the company has been going downhill for several years now. Once upon a time it had a great family-type atmosphere, and despite the right-wing tendencies of some of the owners (which factored in to my decision to leave) and a large segment of the customers (they were big with the home-school crowd), it was a nice change of pace to work for a company that was independent and truly devoted to a vision that involved giving children access to information and education.

Now it's just another hotel piece in Harcourt's monopoly game. It's kind of sad.

[DivinBreuvage]

4. Not to make light of another 169 people now being out of work

but no good ever comes of it when Saxon mixes with Norman.