DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-64,614

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
SPRING PLANT
HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA

TA-W-64,614A

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
NEWTON, NORTH CAROLINA

TA-W-64,614B

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
PONTOTOC, MISSISSIPPI

TA-W-64,614C

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS

TA-W-64,614D

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
HICKORY SEWING
HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA

TA-W-64,614E

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
HICKORY METAL
HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA

TA-W-64,614F

HICKORY SPRINGS MANUFACTURING COMPANY
CORPORATE OFFICE
HICKORY, NORTH CAROLINA

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance and
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19
USC 2273), as amended, the Department of Labor herein presents
the results of an investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance as a
secondarily affected worker group.
In order to make an affirmative determination and issue a
certification of eligibility for secondary workers to apply for
Trade Adjustment Assistance, the group eligibility requirements
of paragraph (b) of Section 222 of the Trade Act, as amended,
must be met. It is determined in this case that the
requirements of (b) of Section 222, as amended, have been met.
The investigation was initiated on December 8, 2008 in
response to a petition filed by a company official on behalf of
workers of Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Corporate
Office, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614F). The workers are
engaged in administrative duties in support of manufacturing
operations - accounting, information systems, credit, customer
service, etc.
At the request of a company official, the petition
investigation was expanded to include workers engaged in
employment related to the production of fabricated wire
components to be exact sinuous springs at Hickory Springs
Manufacturing Company, Spring Plant, Hickory, North Carolina
(TA-W-64,614); fabricated polyurethane products at Hickory
Springs Manufacturing Company, Newton, North Carolina (TA-W-
64,614A) and Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Pontotoc,
Mississippi (TA-W-64,614B); fabricated metal components to be
exact RV Steps at Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Fort
Smith, Arkansas (TA-W-64,614C); cut and sew components for
furniture at Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Sewing
Plant, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614D); and fabricated
metal components at Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Metal
Plant, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614E).
The investigation revealed that Hickory Springs
Manufacturing Company: Spring Plant, Hickory, North Carolina
(TA-W-64,614); Pontotoc, Mississippi (TA-W-64,614B); and Metal
Plant, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614E) supplied component
parts for upholstered furniture. Where as, Newton, North
Carolina (TA-W-64,614A), supplied components parts for household
furniture and Fort Smith, Arkansas (TA-W-64,614C) supplied
components parts for travel trailers. At least 20 percent of
the subject firms' production or sales are supplied to
manufacturers whose workers were certified eligible to apply for
adjustment assistance.
Furthermore, Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Hickory
Sewing, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614D) supplied cut and
sewn pieces (components for furniture) incorporated into the
manufacturing of Hickory Metal Plant (TA-W-64,614E) and Fort
Smith, Arkansas (TA-W-64,614C). Hickory Springs Manufacturing
Company, Corporate Office, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-
64,614F) supported all manufacturing locations, specifically
those that are subject to this investigation: TA-W-64,614
through TA-W-64,614E.
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 group eligibility
requirements of Section 246 of the Trade Act must be met. The
Department has determined in this case that the requirements of
Section 246 have been met.
A significant number of workers at the firms are age 50 or
over and do not possess skills that are easily transferable.
Competitive conditions within the industry are adverse.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that workers of Hickory Springs
Manufacturing Company, Corporate Office, Hickory, North Carolina
(TA-W-64,614F); Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Spring
Plant, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614); Hickory Springs
Manufacturing Company, Newton, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614A);
Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Pontotoc, Mississippi
(TA-W-64,614B); Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Fort
Smith, Arkansas (TA-W-64,614C); Hickory Springs Manufacturing
Company, Sewing Plant, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614D);
and Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Metal Plant, Hickory,
North Carolina (TA-W-64,614E) qualify as adversely affected
secondary workers under Section 222 of the Trade Act of 1974, as
amended. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, I make
the following certification:














"Workers of Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company,
Corporate Office, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614F);
Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Spring Plant,
Hickory, North Carolina engaged in employment related to
the production of sinuous springs (TA-W-64,614); Hickory
Springs Manufacturing Company, Newton, North Carolina (TA-
W-64,614A); Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company,
Pontotoc, Mississippi (TA-W-64,614B); Hickory Springs
Manufacturing Company, Fort Smith, Arkansas engaged
employment related to the production of RV steps (TA-W-
64,614C); Hickory Springs Manufacturing Company, Sewing
Plant, Hickory, North Carolina (TA-W-64,614D); and Hickory
Springs Manufacturing Company, Metal Plant, Hickory, North
Carolina (TA-W-64,614E), who became totally or partially
separated from employment on or after December 5, 2007
through two years from the date of certification, are
eligible to apply for adjustment assistance under Section
223 of the Trade Act of 1974, and are also eligible to
apply for alternative trade adjustment assistance under
Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974."
Signed at Washington, D.C., this 23rd day of February 2009.
/s/Linda G. Poole
_________
LINDA G. POOLE
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance