Local entities respond to Kirby layoffs

Dozens are now out of work following a Starkville manufacturer shifting its production operations to another state, but several local leaders and workforce development officials are confident the transition for affected employees will be made easier by opportunities already available in the region.

Kirby Building Systems, which operates under the Nucor Corporation brand at the former Gulf States plant on Airport Road, announced roughly 100 employees would be let go on Wednesday after the parent company decided to move production to Portland, Tennessee.

Nucor spokesperson Katherine Miller declined a series of follow up questions concerning the future of the Starkville plant on Thursday, but told the Starkville Daily News on Wednesday the company had resources in place locally to help assist employees affected by the layoffs.

“Anytime this happens you feel for the families effected,” said Greater Starkville Development Partnership CEO Scott Maynard on Thursday. “As a community we are in a much better position today than we would have been 20 years ago.”

Golden Triangle Development Link Chief Operating Officer Macaulay Whitaker said it was still too early to comment on what role their organization could play in helping to place affected workers and deferred questions about the issue to Nucor.

Maynard also said it was still too soon to know how the GSDP would be able to contribute, but said between the other manufacturing facilities in the region, opportunities with the university and growth in the Thad Cochran Research Park, hopefully many of the workers can be absorbed.

“EMCC provides excellent training opportunities as well and has strong relationships with our local industrial partners,” Maynard said.

Michael Busby, associate dean of instruction with EMCC, said the university has over 30 career technical programs, along with a

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