Conference 7.286::digital

    They're wrong.
    
    It's Disney...mwr

    I heard that Simplex Time Recorder is buying the WMO building.
    
    fr

    Yeah, Bob, I agree that the rumors about Westminster are Wild!, but
    one's thing is for sure, down-sizing is gonna hit WMO hard.
    
    Mark

   re: 2448.4 <XLIB::SCHAFER>

   Mark,

   >...but one's thing is for sure, down-sizing is gonna hit WMO hard.

       You mean it hasn't yet?  When I was there about 4 months ago, there
   were being clobbered!

   Tony

    .5  
    
    Must have just been practice, batting practice. (---)

    Lotta groups out here in the "boonies" have been ordered to "saddle
    up".  Andover here we come!!
    

Someone mentioned WalMart.  Heard this a.m. that plans for the 
WalMart distribution center in Westfield were withdrawn.  This
means a new hunt for a large distribution center is on again.
What would WMO have to offer WalMart?  Maybe....

        DEC also owns a good chunk of land in Westminister that I have
    heard they would like to sell some of.This would be ideal if a company
    built a plant and DEC stays in WMO.
                                    Rich
    
                                              

    New Hampshire got the Walmart dist. center.

    For Toys R' Us to be interested in the WMO site, rail tracks are a must
    as 85% of delivery is made by rail car.

    So where are the rail tracks at the Nashua store?
    
    -sandy
    

    The rail tracks are behind the Pheasant lane Mall! They through the
    toys out on the way by...

    Rail is needed if the WMO site was to be used for a Distribution
    Center.  E Gosselin = Is that you Ellie?
    
    Marie

           So, who all is moving to Andover (DAS)?  I heard the software
           part is NOT... so, where they goin'?
           
           ... SO, who were they (WMO) sold to?
           
           Steve
           in NIO
           
           �WMO ->  �DAS -> NIO

>           ... SO, who were they (WMO) sold to?
 
	I don't believe it is a done deal yet. I would expect that details
	like that (who, haw much, etc) would be kept quiet until it *is* a
	done deal.

			Alfred

    It's (still) apparently a secret who bought WMO.  My guess is (my
    one-time employer) Simplex Time Recorder.
    
    L.

    "DEC closing Westminster plant this year"
    "Company says it expects most of 1,100 to transfer"
    (Worcester Telegram and Gazette, 24 August 1993)
    
    "Digital Equipment Corp. will close its 1,100-employee Westminster
    facility by January, according to a letter sent to selectmen ... The
    Maynard-based computer company expects most of Westminster employees to
    be transferred to other facilities ... The closing, rumored since
    spring, was confirmed in a letter sent to Ronald Zeiner, chairman of
    selectmen. The letter was distributed at last night's meeting of the
    Board of Selectmen ...approximately 439 Westminster employees will be 
    transferred to sites 'beyond what might be considered a reasonable 
    commuting distance'"...
    
    

    Just announced:: SIMPLEX CORP. has purchased the DIGITAL
    facality in Westminster.
    
    What a shame!!!
    
    

    What happened to Walmart... I thought they wanted it for a NE
    distribution hub....
    
    Any word on what we got for the facility... did all the land Digital
    own in Westminster go too?

    	
    	Not to many details at this time but the feeling is that
    	there was a bidding war going on and WalMart just felt the
    	price wasn't worth it to them.
    
    	As for the selling price it's our guess that the official
    	release will say only for "an undisclosed amount."
    
    	Film at 11:00
    

    Gee, you have to wonder about the wisdom in this decision ?

    We owned the plant outright. Westminster has one of the lowest tax
    rates in  N.E. It was in a good location.

    OH well, Simplex is a good company to work for. Perhaps I can get a job 
    there and ride a bicycle to work !

    Jim

    The story is in LIVE WIRE's Worldwide News section...

    The company has a surplus of space. Selling some of should be a
    time for rejoicing. Except perhaps for those people who will have
    to relocate. We take in some money, we reduce carrying costs. Sounds
    like a win to me. Anyone this would "cause" to get TFSO'd would probably
    get TFSO'd anyway.

    			Alfred

Worldwide News                                              LIVE WIRE
 
 Purchase and sale agreement signed for ...                  Date: 24-Aug-1993
 
                                                              Screen  1 of 2
           Purchase and sale agreement signed for Westminster facility

         Digital and Simplex Time Recorder Co. of Gardner, Mass. have signed
   a purchase and sale agreement for Digital's Westminster, Mass. facility.
   The businesses that are located in Westminster will be co-located with
   like work in four locations:  DAS in Andover, Mass., NQO in Nashua, N.H.,
   TWO in Tewksbury, Mass., and WOO in Woburn, Mass.
         The moves will be completed by January 1994.
         Westminster Plant Manager Pete Kinney said the moves are part of
   Digital's continuing effort to consolidate its businesses and become more
   cost-competitive.  "We've sold the building and are moving the businesses
   that are located here to new locations.  That's all."

       The 676,000-square-foot plant opened in 1970 and employs about
   1,100 people.  About 400 of those people will be offered relocation
   assistance from Digital because of the distance between their current
   home and the new job location.
         Simplex will move its finished goods and service parts warehouses
   into the Westminster facility, along with its education and training
   department.  Remaining space will be used to expand Simplex' manufacturing
   operations as needed in the future.
         Simplex Time Recorder Co. is a leading manufacturer and supplier
   of non-residential fire alarm, security, clock, sound and time recording
   systems.  The company employs about 4,000 people worldwide.

         

    	Note that a majority of the people are being relocated to N.H. work
    sites. Unemployment compensation in N.H. is about half of what it is in
    Mass..Consequently, I believe it costs Digital a lot less money to
    layoff people in N.H. over those in Mass...Hopefully, this is just a
    coincidence. I doubt they could stoop so low...But then, I could have
    sworn I saw a couple of Digital sites up for auction on the Home
    Shopping Network the other day...

    I doubt that it is a total coincidence.  Whenever groups are moved, the
    cost to the Company is studied.  I would expect that relocation
    expenses were a major consideration.  I don't know about unemployment. 
    I guess we should be glad that one of our facilities was marketable. 
    I'm sure that Digital would like to sell the Maynard mill outright, but
    who would buy it?
    
    Mark

    Maximum weekly unemployment benefit in NH is $183.00.  With that kind
    of income you can't even pay "attention" let alone a mortgage.
    
    Tim
    
                     

    Well, here we are more than a year later, and yesterday the public
    notice was made that Simplex has accepted the environmental clean-up
    results, and has signed the deal.  Both companies agreed to not
    disclose the amount of the transaction.
    
    However, my guess is we will see the numbers when we reort FY94 results
    as our land/building asset account will be reduced and our cash account
    will be increased (if the check clears this week).  If not, it will
    probably show up in accounts receivable or someplace else.
    
    Mark
    

    As I went on vacation friday, I drove up Rt 2 past the WMO facility. In
    plcae of the old company letters were SIMPLEX. Same sign just different
    letters.
    
    Howard
    
    BTW_ The old BTO facility looks like the grounds keeper quit. View from
    Rt89 looked pretty sad with the scragly bushes.
    
    ABTW- the digital sign is still on the building west of Montreal on the
    40 [TransCanada Hwy]. Next to it is a for lease sign and the digital
    logo is missing from the street sign.
    

re: .31

I think VTX SITES (which sometimes isn't accessible) has the latest listing from
Property Administration, the folks who should know.
									- paul