The parking lot of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center was full Friday, Aug. 10, as displaced employees of Bristol Compressors met with representatives of 48 employers. Bristol Compressors announced July 31 it would close its Washington County, Tenn., plant, eliminating 470 jobs.
The Aug. 10 job fair, which was sponsored by the Virginia Employment Commission, Washington County Virginia, the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board and the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, also provided space outside the main hall for colleges, universities, and other organizations that could offer opportunities besides direct employment.
“To be in the main hall, companies had to be able to show they had immediate job openings,” said David Matlock, director of the center, who made it available free of charge for the event.
The list of employers and positions available provides a rare cross-section of the needs of industry in the region at one given moment:
• Accuforce -Assembly, Machine Operator
• ACT -Customer Service, Sales potions and Collections all are Full time position with Benefits.
• AGC Flatglass North America-Abingdon -Production Technician, Supervisor
• Ambulance Service of Bristol, Inc. -Wheelchair drivers, Stretcher Van drivers, EMTs, and Paramedics
• AtWork-180+ General Labor, Maintenance, Housekeeping, HR Clerk, Order Selector, Machine Operators, Groundskeepers, Electrical Assembly, Drivers, Office Support
• BAE Systems -Production, Human Resources, Engineering (all types), Project Management
• Becker Global America -Electrical Assembly, Welders, Purchasing Manager, Engineering Manager, IT Manager Brock-Production, Material Handling, Warehouse, Janitorial, CDL Truck Drivers
• Coalfield Services, Inc. -Assembly, CNC Operators, and Pain Electrician, Field Construction Worker, Welders
• Coca Cola Bottling Company Consolidated -Delivery Merchandisers (CDL Class A Driver), Warehouse Order Builders
• Columbus McKinnon -Assembly, CNC Operators, and Paint
• DENSO -Production Associate, Logistics Associate, Maintenance Associate, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Industrial Engineer
• Dia/America -Sales Representative
• Electro-Mechanical Corp. -Accounting, welding, electrical assembly, mechanical assembly, maintenance, welding, machine operators
• Elwood Staffing -Warehouse, Forklift, Production, CNC
• Express Employment Professionals-CDL A Truck Drivers, Production Operators, General Laborer, Machine Operators, Housekeepers, Floor Techs, Document Control, Warehouse/Delivery
• Food City/Food City Distribution Center-Various office, retail, and distribution center positions
• General Dynamics -Finisher, Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, Senior Electrical Design Engineer
• General Engineering Company-CAD Draftsman, Engineer, Production Scheduling, CNC Machinist, Manual Machinist, Quality Inspection Technician
• HSN -Mechanic, Warehouse Associate, Material Handler, Warehouse Clerk
• Innovate Medical-Warehousing (immediate) and we will fill production positions in the near future
• Kelly Services -CNC Machine Operators, Forklift Operators, Equipment Operators, Warehouse Associates, Production Associates, Electronic Assembly, Basic Facility Maintenance, Internal/Staffing Positions
• Klockner Pentaplast-Assistant Slitter Operators, Maintenance Mechanical, Maintenance Electrical, Raw Materials -Grinder, Production Scheduler, Process Engineer
• Microporous LLC-Operators, Maintenance
• MiniFibers, Inc. -Safety Supervisor, Maintenance mechanic
• Mullican Flooring -Material Handlers, Machine Operators
• MXI-Truck Driver, H/R Assistant, Warehouse
• Paramont Mfg LLC -Production, Maintenance, Shipping, Scheduling Partner Industrial-Industrial Painters, Scaffold Builders, Roofers, CDL Equipment Operators, Industrial Insulators, and Utility Workers
• Philip Morris USA/ US Smokeless Tobacco Co. -Mechanics, Electricians
• Samuel Pressure Vessel Group {SPVG)-Quality Manager, Purchasing Manager, Supervisor/Foreman, Welders, Painter Seaman Corporation -Weaving Operator, Knitting Operator, Maintenance Technician, Coating Machine Operator
• Somic America, Inc. -Manufacturing Engineer, Supplier Quality Engineer, Machining Operators
• Strongwell-Pultrusion Operators, CNC Operators, Maintenance Techs, Process Engineer, Quality Engineer
• SWVA Regional Jail Authority-Corrections Officers, Kitchen Cook, Records Clerk
• Tadano Mantis Corporation -Manufacturing Engineer, Process Engineer, Hydraulic Engineer, EH&S, ERP Supervisor, Welders, Assemblers
• The Robinette Company-Accounting Clerk, Assistant Weber Operator -Piney Flats, Catcher, WPP -Bristol, General Production Worker, Material Handler, Operator, COMCO Press, Press Assistant, W & H -Bristol, Press Operator, Sewing Line Operator -Bristol, Weber Inspector -Piney Flats, Weber Operator -Piney Flats Tennessee, LLC-Maintenance Manager, Quality Manager, Production Supervisor (3rd shift), Continuous Improvement Coordinator
• Tri City Extrusion -General Laborer, Maintenance Techs, Engineering/Maintenance Manager
• Universal Fibers -Limited
• Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. -Atkins-Assemblers, Welders, Maintenance, Electrician
• Utility Trailer Manufacturing Co. -Glade Spring-Assemblers, Welders (40-50 positions)
• VFP Industries-Designers, Engineers, Electrical positions, positions in our Framing, Finishing and Casting departments, Cad Operators, CNC Brake Operator, Account Manager
• Virginia Laser Corp. -1 Full Time 2nd Shift Shop Worker
• Woodgrain Millwork, Inc. -Safety Coordinator, Controller, Staff Accountant, Machine Operators
• Zenith Power Products-Design Drafts person -Solid Works Proficient, Purchasing Agent (Buyer), Warehouse operators ZF-Plant Quality Engineer
• New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board
• Virginia Employment Commission
• Washington County Virginia
• Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center
A second job fair designed to bring displaced Bristol Compressors workers together with potential employers is scheduled for Aug. 28 at the Holiday Inn off exit 7 of Interstate 81 in Bristol, Va. For more information on that event, contact Amy Shuttle at the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, 423.989.4850 or ashuttle@bristolchamber.org
