It might mean more local jobs, if they just do thermoforming and mold/form making in Denmark and use Goex material manufactured here in Janesville. While http://www.Prent.com lists foreign factories, http://www.Goex.com does not.

Will this mean more jobs in Janesville?

TCB: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." - George Santayana.
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The discussions in this thread included comments about Prent's history and I thought that some readers might not be aware that, while Prent looks to be doing well today, the company has had at least one rocky spot in it's history. Perhaps that unpleasant chapter in the past has guided them to be more cautious and diversified.
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I'm not slamming the company, my first post in this thread included: "I worked at Prent years ago when Jack Pregont was still running the place. It sounds like Prent is in as good or even better hands now."
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History is vital part of a good education.

Janesvillecomments:

You retort with a claim that Prent laid off its work force 26 years ago? Are you kidding me? Why not go back 40 years ago? It is wholly irrelevant what happened 26 years ago.

Darwin1:

Who do you think pays for "healthcare" in Denmark? There are no free lunches, a company expands because it is part of their core strategy. Danes are much different than Belgians than the French, etc. The business climate in Europe, especially western Europe sucks. There is a global recession-if you have not noticed. The unemployement rate in denmark is 2.5%-this is commonly accepted as full employment. Prent will have to compete for labor in Denmark-which means they will offer high paying jobs to maintain and expand its labor force. The average unemployement in the Euro area is 8.5%, includeing 15% in Spain and 12% in Belgium-germany and France are above 9%. The danish economy is contracting at a faster rate-but employement statistics still remain relatively strong-compared to other parts of Europe.

ALso, who are the "we" you refer to when you say "we should be happy" they are not going to China? ARe you an investor in Prent? What difference to you does it make where a company expands? How does this affect your personal happiness?

Based on your post, you must believe that employees should be guaranteed life time employment, irrespective of business climate. Its not nations that "sell people down the river" its people who chose not to invest in themselves who find themselves out of work because they lack skill sets in an ever changing economy. Eduation is compulsory in the united states and the only person holding you back from achieving success is yourself.

I concur that anytime there is news of expansion of any business in Janesville, it should be a reason to celebrate or at least to be positive. I can't believe how many doom and gloom knuckleheads there are on these boards. I swear, some of these people could find something negative to say about absolutely ANY news that could be printed. How do you get through a day??

Cleary, ChevyBob is a jag---. He blames the UAW for GM's mismanagement. How does that work? Management manages a company down the drain but its labor's fault. Wow your a genius.

They are going to Denmark because Denmark has healthcare, their workforce is educated and they use less oil because their consumers are near wear they make the product.

I believe its 31 days notice for a plant closing not a lay-off. Remember Lab Safety.

We should be very happy they are going to Denmark and not Mexico or China. Denmark doesn't sell its people down the river like certain Republican representatives from the south, pays them well and provides healthcare. Trade with these countries helps to expand our economy not contract it.

Thanks, tom1cass2, for the education.
They must have learned that no customer should be more than 4-5% of the business.

My husband didn't work there in 1983. They have not had any layoffs since he has been there in the last 17 years is what I said. I don't know what happened before then.

Sorry to correct you, ChevyBob1 and Tom1Cass2, but Prent Corp had a big layoff in 1983. Prent had just built a big addition onto their main building, and invested in machinery for their Goex division (making their own plastic), when the SC Johnson Company, of Racine, who had Prent making the containers for their Glade air fresheners, canceled their contract.
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It was close to 25% of their business at the time - they had two or three machines that did nothing but crank out those containers on both shifts. They laid off several machine operators and bumped at least one full-time person back to a lower paying job (I vaguely recall one QC Inspector's job also being affected), plus they stopped calling in the number of mini-shifters who had picked and packed for that job of course.
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If nobody recalls any later lay-offs, then Prent learned from that experience.

Thank you chevybob. My husband has worked at Prent for over 17 yrs and there has never been a layoff. There has been plenty of overtime. Joe is very good to his employess and thinks very highly of his plant here and in Arizona.
He opens plants were it is profitable for the company, if it is overseas then that is where he builds. His plants are near where his customers are. He not only his customers in the US but all over the world.

jayvee Apr 16, 2009 at 11 a.m.
SAID:
Are we all just supposed to get a "warm" feeling with the announcement that Prent is building another facility overseas? I don't think so.
IN REPLY
You should. If Prent & GOEX, the largest employers in the city, were to leave it would bite you in the wallet. (Think property tax.) Don’t choke when you open next year’s property tax envelope. It will contain an increase to cover the lost revenue that G.M. paid. Thank U.A.W 95 for it.

thediplomat Apr 16, 2009 at 1:02 p.m.
IN REPLY:
Good Luck with the labor laws over there. You can't fire anyone in those countries easily and they get a crapload of vacation. Hope you don't have to make cuts, because it will be a mess.
IN REPLY:
When was the last time Prent laid-of personal? Think - never!
They don’t get a “crapload”, more correctly, crap-load, they receive 31 days. Do your research before you make stupid, misspelled statements.

a67 Apr 16, 2009 at 4:40 p.m.
IN REPLY:
I won't hold my breathe, sooner or later all the jobs at Prent will be gone in Janesville. Due to cheaper labor over seas.
IN REPLY:
Please hold your breath, PLEASE, for an hour or two.
Prent has been in Janesville for 40 years. Thoughtful management coupled with a non-union labor has, and will continue to make, Prent good for its workers and the city.
The average worker in Denmark earns about the U.S. equivalent of $16.00 per hour.

ja67:

You could be correct. If manufacturing costs and labor costs are prohibitive the leaders must make a decision: stay or go. The firm appears to be sufficiently diversified in that they are not dependant on one type of business to maintain their profitibility.

Prent should be celebrated as a Janesville by growing organically rather than solely through acquisition. Prent is a family business and often family run businesses struggle as the business is passed through generation. Prent appears to be thriving and Joe Pregont should be commended on his execution of Prents long term business strategy.

I won't hold my breathe, sooner or later all the jobs at Prent will be gone in Janesville. Due to cheaper labor over seas.

+1 Callit......Hey everyone--we're already facing an insane amount of debt, so why not just go crazy and throw another $800,000,000,000+ on top of it all.......That'll fix it! Pure genius.......One more thing.....let's raise the taxes on all the businesses and corporations that are employing the majority of the taxpayers........Now we're really starting to solve the problems........

How this is becoming an acceptable course for this country to take, I will never understand.......Truly sad.....

Yes, they did suck as well, justsaynotomath, but they will look like rocket scientists when Obama is done and Doyle has already drove us to a $5 billion plus deficit.

Denmark is part of the European Union so Prent will avoid a lot of customs and tax paperwork by having a factory over there.
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I worked at Prent years ago when Jack Pregont was still running the place. It sounds like Prent is in as good or even better hands now.

billyclydepuckett-Its easy to post that statement with no back up or data sources.

Here is why you can't look at just corporate rates but VAT (value added tax) and other taxes as well. The site blow i much closer to the truth.

Denmark 45% The US 25%

http://intltax.typepad.com/intltax_blog/...

"How are they able to do business in a "socialist" country like Denmark?"

Denmark has a lower corporate tax rate than the U.S.

Congratulations Prent! Amongst all the doom and gloom it's good to see a local business successful and growing.......Good job-keep up the good work!

And Wisconsin won't be much better with Obama and Doyle spreading their Socialist ways.

Good Luck with the labor laws over there. You can't fire anyone in those countries easily and they get a crapload of vacation. Hope you don't have to make cuts, because it will be a mess.

Good to hear a company doing well enough to expand. Best wishes in Denmark, Prent!

"why not expand in janesville"

Why not read the article?

"We're in the customer service business, and we have to go where the customers are. We just can't be competitive shipping product to foreign markets from Janesville alone"

"Are we all just supposed to get a "warm" feeling with the announcement that Prent is building another facility overseas? I don't think so."

No, we are suppose to be angry and bitter. We should raise their tax rate as a company and then sock the senior management team with heavy state and local taxes as well as raise both their corporate and individual real estate taxes. Then we should put a cap on what their executives make. Finally, we should all nash out teeth shake out fists and scream about how greedy they are when they leave for another state.

Kudos to Prent Corp.!

"How are they able to do business in a "socialist" country like Denmark?"

Good (albeit sarcastic) question, Darwin1. The article suggests there are no major differences between operations. Maybe Mr. Pregont or someone could expand on any differences in doing business within the USA compared to Denmark or other countries?

You are exactly right EMMO46

Prent expands where the market is needed. If it is cheaper to have a plant over in Europe to build the product then that is where they build their plant. It excites me because I know that Prent is doing well.

Prent knows what it is doing.
Manufacturing of packaging has to be located relatively close to where the products to be packaged are located.
Example: Bacardi bottles it's rum in Florida rather than ship empty bottles to Puerto Rico, fill them, and ship them back to the U.S.
Another example: Aluminum cans are usually made close to the brewery or soft drink plant, again to reduce shipping.
I'm sure that this is the reason for Prent's packaging plants in different countries.

yeah, Europe suks

why not expand in janesville

I for one get a warm feeling when a local company expands and spreads the word about Janesville that is positive.

How are they able to do business in a "socialist" country like Denmark?

There are always some sectors or some companies that do well despite economic conditions. Glad a local firm Prent is one of them!