Sabreliner to drop more than 50 Perryville workers

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Sabreliner Corp. will lay off at least 50 employees from its Perryville facility, according to the Workforce Investment Board of Southeast Missouri.

June O'Dell, president of the local Workforce Investment Board, said the organization will be involved in helping displaced workers find new employment, train for new jobs and connect with employment security resources.

"What we want to do is get these people back to work as soon as possible," O'Dell said.

Layoffs of 50 or more workers trigger action by the Missouri Division of Workforce Development, which will head efforts to help former employees, she said.

Keener A. Tippin II, communications coordinator for the Division of Workforce Development, said he could not confirm the total number of workers that would lose their positions.

Messages left Friday were not returned.

Sabreliner's flagship facility is based at the Perryville Municipal Airport. The complex is more than 200,000 square feet and is the company's largest and most comprehensive maintenance and repair facility for Sabreliner business jets and government aircraft, including U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters, U.S. Air Force C-21 Learjets and U.S. Navy, Coast Guard and Marine propeller-driven T-34 and T-44 pilot trainers.

Perry County consistently has an unemployment rate well below the state and national rates. In 2012, the rate didn't exceed 5.9 percent, and the county ended the year at 4.1 percent unemployment.

Pertinent address:

1390 Highway H, Perryville, MO