Any news about what’s happening here in the near future?
Closing?
New Business?
Cafeteria opening back up?
Etc.
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If you do a Google News search on "Honeywell" and "License," you see several announcements about Honeywell licensing out R&O on various product lines.
Walking around Olathe, I was always struck by the wide variety of components being worked on. Not only a wide variety, but also a wide range of vintages. Honeywell was still servicing some really old stuff (I assume the customers we're paying significantly for the privilege of having the OEM work on their antiques).
I assume the plan is to license out R&O for anything that is low volume and/or old, as well as anything that's considered a "non-core" business. Great deal for Honeywell, as they rake in all those one-time licensing fees.
Hard to say what will happen once they've completed the process of licensing out various products. Seems likely they won't keep Olathe open, as from the sounds of this thread, they can't compete on wages there. The building is already larger than what they need, anyway. Probably move most of the R&O to Mexico and/or Puerto Rico, and maybe just keep the OEM and military stuff in a smaller facility.
I hope you guys all find new jobs. I’m an older worker and I’m even looking. Not doing very good because of my age. Harder to get out. I won’t give up.
I guess I’ll just have to take a job that pays less. The good news is always be happier. And I really don’t have a choice. Either I find a job now or wait until they close us down. I’m not getting younger, so I’ll actively keep looking for a job until somebody hires me.
Site closure is imminent.
The morale is so bad that the invisible site leader is reduced to begging for the VOE survey too. Completions were around 50% late last week compared to 80% a year ago. Wanted 100% by Friday close of business -- LOL! Get those workflows and supervisors to beat everyone until morale improves.
I thought FAA required electronic degree/trade school etc along with training to be certified to sign off on repairs.
Not experience from working at MCDonalds.
It's true that they are hiring techs with no experience & paying them more than techs that have been there 2, 3 years and more. Employment agencies are advertising openings at Olathe for $27.80/hr. The few slots that are open are on the OEM side or for tech 4 for the suckups and flirts in R&O. I remember when it used to take 10 to 15 years to make 4. Now they just need compliant ones who when told to jump they say How High! They will continue to lose experienced techs faster than they can bring in the unqualified. No wonder that morale is in the $hitter and getting worse by the day!
No wonder the pot holes in the parking lot don’t get fixed .
Walking around and taking measurements is the first sign of future closure.
Where that happened before, closure followed.
Wow the future sounds bleak.
OK, the scuttlebutt coming from the cubicle farms in Phoenix is that SK & his superiors had one deal fall through to sell off product lines to a U.S. based competitor. However, they are still trying to make a deal with others, and as stated below, there are P.R. & Mexico for the rest.
This is why even though Olathe is still profitable for now, they are NOT making any capital investments there. The roof repairs were not for your health & safety, they were for resale value. Gym, cafeteria, credit union/ATM, etc. -- ain't happening. All this makes sense to them as they won't be able to compete with Panasonic and even Garmin for worker bees.
With the OEM leader walking out the door without notice, at least five senior techs leaving in the past month, bare-minimum raises, and no promotion slots opening up, you must know that the writing is on the wall. This also shows why they are reduced to hiring those without a degree or experience, but can simply pass a dr-g test and background check.
They are just trying to keep the wheels from falling off the bus until the announcement is make public. You will very likely hear about it on the news before you see an email or all-hands meeting. Then, you will only get a decent severance if you stay around to train your replacements. Things will start to move quicker once the new CEO takes over...