| Show Local company downsizing leaves many without jobs Winslow Burton Contributing Writer Im 54 years old and I have to start over again said Gordon Daniels the shipping coordinator for Back to Basics Company located in Salt Lake City Without a degree with responsibilities of life a family still going on Ive I've got to find something Ive I've got to start over On Sept 18 Daniels received news that Focus Products Group who acquired Back to Basics in January of this year was downsizing This would mean that anybody working at atthe atthe atthe the Salt Lake warehouse would be e getting laid off It is reported that 35 time full employees and four time part-time employees will no longer hold a job by the end of the current year Eric Lockwood the chief operations manager of Back to Basics told employees that the reason Focus Products is downsizing is because of v t rivo two key losses The was the loss of former Chief Executive Randy Hales and Operations Manager Carl Hilyard The second reason is the upcoming loss of Mart Wal-Mart at the end of the year as one of their largest accounts This would impact the company's bottom line by about 30 million In 1983 founder Bill Beasle Beasley had a heart attack He decided to sell Back to Basics to his tWo two Cuts Continued on Employment Cuts Continued from A 1 sons Brad and Bill Beasley The Beasley brothers met up with Tom Daniels at convention in 1992 Tom Daniels introduced the smoothie maker with the spout and stir stick to the and they were a team ever since The smoothie maker was 70 percent of the company's business for many years Back to Basics was known for their company morale and product innovation In January Focus Products bought out Back to Basics and through the next nine months the company slowly went downhill Focus Electrics Group isn't just kicking their employees to the street They are giving most of the employees three months to begin looking for a new job In December The Department of Workforce Services will be visiting Back to Basics to show employees what is available to them Focus Group is also giving all time full-time employees severance packages which will offer a minimum of four weeks' weeks pay |
