DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-62,336

FABTEK CORPORATION
A DIVISION OF BLOUNT INTERNATIONAL, INC.
MENOMINEE, MICHIGAN

Negative Determinations 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 October 22, 2007 in
response to a petition filed by the Michigan State Trade Coordin-
ator on behalf of workers at Fabtek Corporation, Menominee,
Michigan. Fabtek Corporation is a subsidiary of Blount
International, Inc., and located in the Industrial and Power
Equipment Division, also referred to as the Forestry Division. (The
Forestry Division has recently been sold to Caterpillar, Inc.) The
workers in Menominee produced timber harvesting equipment parts, a
large portion of which is sold through exclusive Blount
dealerships. Additional sales are destined for the export market.
The investigation revealed that there were no company imports
of forestry equipment, nor was there a shift in production from the
Menominee, Michigan plant to a foreign country during the period
under investigation.
Division-wide sales declines were minimal and caused in great
part by reduced demand for timber, and thus timber harvesting
equipment, caused by a decline in housing construction.
The predominant cause of worker separations was a shift in
production to other domestic plants.
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 assistance
(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 of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that all workers of Fabtek Corporation,
Menominee, Michigan, 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 27th day of December, 2007


/s/Richard Church
______________________________
RICHARD CHURCH
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance