DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-60,015

LAIRD TECHNOLOGIES
A SUBSIDIARY OF LAIRD GROUP PLC
SCHAUMBURG, ILLINOIS

Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance and
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended (19 USC 2273), the Department of Labor herein presents
the results of an investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance. The group
eligibility requirements for directly-impacted (primary) workers
under Section 222(a) the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, can be
satisfied in either of two ways:
I. Section (a)(2)(A) all of the following must be satisfied:
A. a significant number or proportion of the workers in such
workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of the firm,
have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;
B. the sales or production, or both, of such firm or
subdivision have decreased absolutely; and
C. increased imports of articles like or directly competitive
with articles produced by such firm or subdivision have
contributed importantly to such workers' separation or
threat of separation and to the decline in sales or
production of such firm or subdivision; or

II. Section (a)(2)(B) both of the following must be satisfied:

A. a significant number or proportion of the workers in such
workers' firm, or an appropriate subdivision of the
firm, have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;


B. there has been a shift in production by such workers' firm
or subdivision to a foreign country of articles like or
directly competitive with articles which are produced by
such firm or subdivision; and
C. One of the following must be satisfied:
1. the country to which the workers' firm has shifted
production of the articles is a party to a free trade
agreement with the United States;
2. the country to which the workers' firm has shifted
production of the articles is a beneficiary country
under the Andean Trade Preference Act, African Growth
and Opportunity Act, or the Caribbean Basin Economic
Recovery Act; or
3. there has been or is likely to be an increase in
imports of articles that are like or directly
competitive with articles which are or were produced
by such firm or subdivision.

The investigation was initiated on September 6, 2006 in
response to a petition filed on behalf of workers at Laird
Technologies, a subsidiary of Laird Group PLC, Schaumburg,
Illinois. The workers produced metal shielding for wireless
products primarily for telephones.
The investigation revealed that criteria I.C. and II.B. have
not been met.
The petitioners allege that production was shifted to a
foreign source. The investigation revealed that Laird
Technologies is currently shifting the majority of production
from the Schaumburg facility to China and the Czech Republic.
These countries are not parties to a free trade agreement with
the United States nor are they beneficiary countries. The
subject firm did not import like or competitive products with the
metal shielding, nor do they intend to import products like or
directly competitive with the products produce by workers at the
subject plant.
The Department of Labor also conducted a survey of the
subject firm's domestic customers regarding their purchases of
metal shielding for wireless products in 2004, 2005 and January
through August 2006 over the corresponding 2005 period. The
survey revealed that the majority of the respondents did import
metal shielding for wireless products while decreasing purchases
from the subject firm during the relevant period. Although one
customer did report imports of metal shielding, those imports
were negligible relative to the subject firm's sales. The also
reported that the majority of sales of metal shielding was sold
to foreign sources.
The investigation further revealed the company shifted some
plant production to another domestic location of Laird
Technologies.
The Department also investigated as to whether the workers
of Laird Technologies, a subsidiary of Laird Group PLC,
Schaumburg, Illinois, could be certified as secondarily affected.
In order to make an affirmative determination and issue a
certification of eligibility to apply for adjustment assistance,
the following group eligibility requirements under Section 222(b)
must be met:
(1) a significant number or proportion of the workers in the
workers' firm or an appropriate subdivision of the firm
have become totally or partially separated, or are
threatened to become totally or partially separated;
(2) the workers' firm (or subdivision) is a supplier or
downstream producer to a firm (or subdivision) that
employed a group of workers who received a certification
of eligibility to apply for trade adjustment assistance
benefits and such supply or production is related to the
article that was the basis for such certification; and

(3) either-

(A) the workers' firm is a supplier and the component
parts it supplied for the firm (or subdivision) described
in paragraph (2) accounted for at least 20 percent of the
production or sales of the workers' firm; or

(B) a loss of business by the workers' firm with the firm
(or subdivision) described in paragraph (2) contributed
importantly to the workers' separation or threat of
separation.

The investigation revealed that criterion 2 was not been
met.
The investigation revealed that one of the subject firm's
customers is under trade adjustment assistance certification, but
the customer purchases from the subject firm represented only a
negligible amount of the purchases of the metal shielding for
wireless products during the period under investigation.
In addition, in accordance with Section 246 the Trade Act of
1974 (26 USC 2813), as amended, the Department of Labor herein
presents the results of its investigation regarding certification
of eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment assis-
tance (ATAA) for older workers.




In order for the Department to issue a certification of
eligibility to apply for ATAA, the worker group must be certified
eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance (TAA). Since
the workers are denied eligibility to apply for TAA, the workers
cannot be certified eligible for ATAA.
Conclusion
After careful review, I determine that all workers of Laird
Technologies, a subsidiary of Laird Group PLC, Schaumburg,
Illinois are denied eligibility to apply for adjustment
assistance under Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are
also denied eligibility to apply for alternative trade adjustment
assistance under Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Signed in Washington, D. C., this 3rd day of November, 2006.



/s/Elliott S. Kushner
______________________________
ELLIOTT S. KUSHNER
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance