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150 workers to be laid off in company closing By Melanie Hennessey CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF After 18 years in Milton, Mueller Canada is closing down its I.awson R oad operation, putting about 150 area residents out of work. The manufacturing facility that pro- duces products for the water and gas industries will shut its doors at the end of July due to, a restructuring by its par- ent company, Walter Industries Inc. A press release from Walter Industries said, "This plant closure is part of Walter Industries' continued [acility rationalization strategy follow- ing its acquisition of Mueller Water Products." It went on to, say, "Valve production at Milton wiIl be transferred to Mueller's Chattanooga, Tenn. facility and bydrant production will be trans- ferred to Muellers Albertville, Ala. Plant." Donna Cordner, buman resources manager at Mueller Canada, said employees were made aware of the dlo- sure April 20. "We're setting up an access centre in bouse to help people find employ- ment," she said. The Conservation Zone hy Peter Love. Chie/ Enetgi' Conservation Officer of Ontario Calling Ail Ontarians: Take the "10% by 2007' chalenge lu Ontarjo, We eau no longer take our enemgy supply for granted. As the old saytng goes. "A penny saved is a penny earned." Trot ycsterday, truc today, and true tomorrow. And so it goes that a kilo- watt saved is also a kilowatt that doesn't have to be generated. A saved kitowatt often coss tess than new supply. Best of aîl, it costa you nothing. There are several no-tout ways wc could save kilowatts efforttessly if we aIl: *tom down tht air conditioner *use cotd water to wash clothing *cook with a microwave insttad of tht stove u nplug that old fridge in tht basement There is no question that in Ontario today, conserving energy is no longer an option. It's a necessity. We need to become amarter about our cite- tricity ose. Laat sormmer, 1 issued an Electricity Conservation Challenge, orging commercial and institotional organizations to reduce their electricity consomption by 100o. The Govemmuent of Ontario also, plans to reduce tht growth in electrtcity peak demnand by five per cent acrosa the province by 2007. Are you ready? 1 challenge ail Ontarians te take the "10%/ by 2007" oath with me. Think about the ways you ose electricity in your home or business, and then think about easy ways you coold cot that consomption by jost ten per cent. Think about how many dollars it would keep in yoor pockets? Tht Conservatton Bureau is currently operating two programa: Every Kilowat Couses (www.everykilowantcoonts.ca) and Cool Savings (www.coolsavingsrehate.ca), whicha give you more tools to save money and tltctictty. IIpwup te b* on"d umebcesrl lI D mi Fw re>.Fora omI Prior to Mueller Canada upening its doors locally in 1988 it merged with Canada Valve, which had a manufac- turing facility set up in Milton. Cordner said about one quarter of the current staff are former Canada Valve employees, some of who've put in 25 years of service. "We have a lot of people who've been here many years." She said current customers wsil con- tinue to, receive ail of their Mueller products as usual, since a small ware- house will be set up somewhere in Ontario. "We're taking care of ail of our customers.", Mueller Canadas, products are used in water and gas distribution, water and wastewater treatmnent, oil production, food and beverage processing and phar- maceutical production. Melanie Hennessey can be reached at mhennessey@mniltoncanadianchampion.c om. The Milton Farm CRAF SHOW The Canadian Champion, Friday, May 5, 2006 - A3 tDonWait Osr120 juried crafs people In thie Great Gambrel Bar,, rThe Abrfoyle Town Hall attd Individual txhibitor "Tentsh' * Handmade quality * Superior worlonanship * Great gift ideas for Mom * Country decorating ai if's best * Live entertainmnent * Beautiful Spring location * Food Asailable Satudy bSna 9rd a u.4pl COUNTRY HERITAGE PARK 8560 Treunaine Rod, Milton, ON Cail 905.878,8151 (ROYAL ATLANTIC INC. -w-& aim nom IHarder, la ýStai I SALE-A-BRATIONI b, 400 Steeles Avenue S1-800-6174025 R.d&A www.miltontoyota.com (1111' *Mifari Tqyt wîtl 4t th hae the eqjuistalent of the.reduction in GSýT of 1