Maine Machine Products Company, an industry leader in assembling and providing complex precision machined parts, recently removed 11 employees in its South Paris, ME plant due to the production slowdown during the last quarter of 2010. Meanwhile, about 40 more employees were placed on a two-week on and off schedule despite the fact that it’s the holiday season where demand is typically high. The plant, which is located at Prospect Street, South Paris, will also be closed for two weeks starting Dec. 20.

Erika Douglas, Maine Machine Human Resources Manager, said that the layoffs are effective Dec. 1 up until the end of January 2011. The company’s decision was said to affect more than one-third of the plant’s 138 employees. Douglas also revealed that one major client recently left their company, though details were not elaborated on, which triggered the immediate downsizing. Douglas added that the Main Machine has coordinated with the state’s Rapid Response team to ensure that the affected workers will be assisted accordingly by providing them with information to deal with their job loss.

In 1856, Roland Sutton and Bill Detert established the Maine Machine. Through the years, the company has manufactured precision machine components for defense, semiconductors and oil and gas to various major companies. In July, GenNx360 Capital Partners, which has bases in New York City, Boston, Seattle and India, bought the company from the Sutton family after 54 years of ownership.