In order to stay in business, Fenton Art Glass said it had to lay off a little more than 20 employees Friday.
Fenton Art Glass President George Fenton said this is part of a general restructuring to meet sales requests which continue to be a struggle to maintain in this unstable economy.
Fenton said they had to lay off 23 employees who work throughout the company.
He said they are losing some very good long term workers, who he hopes can be brought back if business turns around.
One of those employees is Leroy Lauderman who has worked there for 25 years.
"It's a shame because there's been people who have been here 40 years, 45 years. I've had all of my family retire from here. My aunts and my uncles- all of them here. I had 11 family members. It's a shame it has come to this. I hate to see it. I feel sorry for the ones that only had five years to go and I don't understand how they're going to make it but they will," said Lauderman.
Fenton said currently it's a struggle to maintain sales and develop new markets.
One new market the company is developing is glass bead jewelry. Fenton said employees started making beads in Williamstown in September and so far the startup has been small but good and has potential. The employees who were laid off did not work on the beads.
In November the Fenton Art Glass Gift Shop started selling Fenton beads and in December Twisted Sisters began selling the beads in their store too.
Fenton said they are focusing on the future and are trying to make sure that the company will be here in the future.
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