Ethel M cutting staff at Henderson plant

Grace Leong

Monday, June 16, 2003 | 11:05 a.m.

Ethel M Chocolates Inc., one of the biggest manufacturers in the Las Vegas area, said today it will lay off some workers at its 200-worker factory in Henderson on Tuesday.

Jobs are being cut as the production of seasonal Dove, Milky Way and Snickers chocolates is being moved to other factories in Chicago and Elizabethtown, Penn.

Larry Abel, vice president of retail for Ethel M, the gourmet boxed chocolates division of Mars Inc., declined to specify the number of workers to be laid off because the company is "still in the midst of formalizing that number."

"While Ethel M chocolates' production will not be affected, some reduction in work force is occurring because the type of production required to make seasonal items is vastly different from the skills required to produce the gourmet chocolate line or run the (mail order and customer service) center," Abel said. "We've made every attempt to shift the affected associates to our Ethel M chocolate production operations at the plant."

"Logistically, it makes more sense for the products to be manufactured at the Chicago and Elizabethtown factories, rather than have raw materials transported to Las Vegas from those factories, have the chocolates made here and then shipped back to those factories for distribution," Abel said.

He said the Henderson plant at 1 Sunset Way will continue to manufacture more than 60 varieties of Ethel M premium chocolates, while the vacated space will be used to expand the company's mail order and customer services.

"The vacated space will allow the expansion of the mail order and customer service facilities as the company continues to increase its national presence through its website, catalog and toll-free 1-800 services," he said. "Our mail order business is expanding and growing. It's a key target for growth of the company."

Abel said he couldn't comment on whether new jobs will be created in the company's mail order and customer service division.

Founded in 1981, Ethel M has 300 employees at its 13 Las Vegas retail stores including outlets at McCarran International Airport, Fashion Show Mall, Meadows Mall, Galleria Mall, Showcase Mall, the Circus Circus hotel-casino, the California Hotel and Sam's Town hotel-casino.