Business news

June 14, 2006

Tellabs lays off 44 in Petaluma

Bandwidth management and optical transport company Tellabs has laid off 44 people from its Petaluma offices as of June 6 due to consolidation efforts, a spokeswoman said.

"Tellabs is changing our supply chain to cut costs, align with product house and customer needs, and to provide a more consistent customer experience," said Ariana Nikitas, a spokeswoman for Tellabs.

The employees worked in order configuration and distribution (OCD). Tellabs has two facilities that provide this function, and is now consolitating all OCD work to its Bolingbrook, Ill. facility.

Additionally, Tellabs is moving cabinet work to third party manufacturers.

Those being laid off can apply for any open positions within the company, although there are currently no openings at Bolingbrook for OCD jobs, Nikitas said.

Tellabs' Petaluma office was originally Advanced Fibre Communications, which was acquired two years ago for $1.9 billion in cash and stock in what was then Sonoma County's fifth largest buyout. After the layoffs, the Petaluma offices will have about 300 employees. The company has approximately 3,500 employees worldwide.

Escrow closes on historic silk mill building

Escrow has closed on the historic Sunset Line and Twine building on Lakeville Street.

The old silk mill, built in 1892 and the headquarters of Sunset Line & Twine since 1940, was purchased by Petaluma Preservation Group, whose partners include Skip Sommer, Robert Mitchell, Ravi Anand and Michael Troy.

The group plans to turn the factory into for-sale commercial/retail space and residential condominiums. Sunset Line and Twine will continue operations at Jefferson and Lakeville until 2007, when it will relocate to another Petaluma location.

The Georgian Colonial Revival-style structure was built by Carson-Currier Company as a silk mill. It was the only factory making silk west of the Mississippi, and there is still a vault on the property where the valuable silks were kept.

Sommer said he has been taken aback by the outpouring of local support.

"So many people have come up to me in restaurants and on the street, and they tell me they are so happy that a local Petaluma company has purchased it."

Royal Tan expands to Santa Rosa

Angie and Brian Maroevich, owners of Petaluma's Royal Tan and Spa, have purchased Virtual Beaches in Santa Rosa, which will assume the Royal Tan and Spa name.

The Santa Rosa locations will have UV-free Mystic Tan, stand up tanning beds and high-pressure tanning systems.

The new locations are at 2729 Yulupa Ave. and 2550 Guerneville Road. For more information, call 778-0288.

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NovaTech Computer Services has launched Ask a Tech, a free service for those who are technologically apprehensive, curious or baffled. Ask a Tech encourages these people to call or e-mail a quick computer question and a technician will answer for free.

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