Wadley plant could close this month

The largest employer in Wadley and largest customer for the town could be closing its doors for good at the end of the month, leaving hundreds of people unemployed and the small Randolph County town without a vital source of revenue.

Officials with Meadowcraft Inc. in Wadley and Birmingham would not comment Thursday on the potential closure of the production plants in Wadley and Selma, but Wadley Mayor Jim Dabbs said he believed the company was being forced to sell to pay off its debt. Bids accepted by the company will be reviewed Friday, and if all goes well, the sale could be complete by July 31, he said.

Edith Buchanan, chairperson for the Retail Wholesale Department Store Union at Meadowcraft, said the banks have been in control of operations since the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March. Work has continued despite gradual layoffs since then. She said a small number of workers and supervisors continue to complete orders currently, but that isn’t expected to last much longer.

Buchanan said a prayer vigil was held Wednesday and a rally Thursday morning in Wadley in the hopes of keeping the plants open.

“We pray to change the hearts of the judge and the banks to give us an opportunity to work,” she said. “We don’t want a bailout, but we could be working right now if we had the funding. We have the orders. We need the funds to complete those orders and get back on our feet.“

According to the Meadowcraft Web site, it is the largest manufacturer of outdoor wrought iron furniture in the country. Buchanan said the Wadley plant produces the furniture, while the Salem facility makes the cushions and umbrellas. Together, the plants employ about 1,300 people.

“We, the people, heard that the plant was going to be sold,” she said, “but if no one buys us, the banks would close us down and liquidate the assets.”

That’s a possibility Dabbs, a first-time mayor, said he isn’t ready to consider.

“It would mean some extremely hard times for us,” he said. “They are not only the largest employer in Wadley, but they our largest customer, making up about 20 percent of our annual budget. I would much rather see someone buy it and keep it open.”