Gloucester County Company To Lay Off 600 Workers After 'Industrial Sabotage'
By Jericka Duncan
SWEDESBORO, N.J. (CBS) -- A direct mailing company in South Jersey says it has no choice but to cut the hundreds of jobs after vandals ruined an expensive printing press.
Police say damage to the rare press is estimated at $30 million, and company officials say that's the reason why DGI Services sent letters to 600 workers who will be let go between now and the end of January.
"It's just shocking," said one employee, who didn't want to be identified. She confirmed that she worked at DGI Services in Swedesboro, New Jersey.
But as of January 31st, she and hundreds of other employees will be without jobs.
"I have two kids, a house payment, I don't know what I'm going to do," the woman said.
Earlier this week, the company sent workers a letter, citing "industrial sabotage" as the reason why DGI is closing all five of its facilities nationwide--two in the south jersey communities of Swedesboro and Bridgeport. Six-hundred part-time and full-time employees have been affected.
Gloucester County's Director of Economic Development Lisa Morina is baffled by "industrial sabotage" as the reason for the company's shut down. She said they had plans to expand.
CBS 3 has also learned that on November 14th, Woolwich Township police responded to the DGI facility in Swedesboro. Authorities say someone broke-in and damaged computer equipment and a digital printing press that was so rare there are only four others like it in the world. The damaged totaled $30 million, and the investigation has now been turned over to the FBI.
