More layoffs are hitting the Roanoke area. The [Virginia Tech Transportation Institute](http://www.vtti.vt.edu/ “Virginia Tech Transportation Institute”), which is better known for operating the “[smart road](http://www.vtti.vt.edu/virginiasmartroad.html “Smart Road Site”)”, will eliminate 20 jobs by January 9.

Four full-time staff and 16 part-time, temporary wage staff positions will be eliminated. The layoffs will take effect for full-time staff by January 9, 2009 and for part-time, temporary wage staff positions by December 15, 2008.

The positions that are being eliminated include machinists, office support workers, a data collection worker and a mechanic.

[Read](http://www.everythingnrv.com/content/view/96347/530/ “Read the Article”) (EverythingNRV)

Lynchburg, VA based [Automated Conveyor Systems, Inc.](http://www.acsconveyor.com/home.htm “Automated Conveyor Systems”) laid off 20 of its employees last Friday as a result of fewer orders from its customers.

The layoffs affected 16 temporary and four permanent employees. The plant now has about 190 employees. This is only the third time in 34 years that the local company has had layoffs.

The company makes material handling systems, such as conveyors, that are used in factories. Some of its major customers are in the corrugated packaging and paper industries, which have decreased production.

[Read](http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/lynchburg/article/automated_conveyor_systems_in_lynchburg_lays_off_20_workers/22607/#When:13:13:13Z “Read the Article”) (WSLS-10)

When most people think of a cobbler, they think of a tasty desert — not someone who repairs shoes. But as people cut back on new items, like shoes, business for local cobblers sure is sweet.

WSET-13 spoke with some cobblers in the Lynchburg-area, and the cobblers are seeing customers come in who have never had their shoes repaired.

[Read](http://www.wset.com/news/stories/1208/575599.html “Read the Article”) (WSET-13)

Cobblers in [Lynchburg](http://www.yellowpages.com/Lynchburg-VA/Shoe-Repair “Shoe Repair Listings”) (YellowPages.com)

Cobblers in [Roanoke](http://www.yellowpages.com/Roanoke-VA/Shoe-Repair “Shoe Repair Listings”) (YellowPages.com)

Roanoke-based [Luna Innovations, Inc.](http://www.lunainnovations.com/ “Luna Innovations, Inc.”) plans to layoff about 20 of its 218 employees as it makes adjustments to deal with the recession.

Luna Innovations develops and manufactures products for health care, telecommunications, energy, and defense markets.

[Read](http://www.roanoke.com/webmin/business/luna-innovations-lays-off-employees/article_07043a5e-dcf2-5f7d-adc5-24cb7f381a47.html “Read the Notice”) (Roanoke Times)

[Berglund Automotive](http://www.berglundcars.com/ “Berglund Automotive”)’s sales are down 35 to 40%, and the company has reduced its vehicle inventory by 50% and cut back on advertising. Berglund has also laid off a “handful” of employees over the last six weeks.

[Shelor Motor Mile](http://www.shelor.com “Shelor Motor Mile”)’s sales were off 40% in October and November. Shelor laid off 50 of its 350 employees in November.

[Read](http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/186604 “Read the Article”) (Roanoke Times)

Auto industry supplier [Wolverine Advanced Materials](http://www.wolverinegasketmaterials.com/ “Wolverine Advanced Materials”) announced this week it is laying off about 50 hourly workers and five salaried employees across its two Blacksburg locations.

The layoffs are considered permanent and take effect today. Job numbers before the layoffs were 205 hourly workers and more than 40 salaried employees.

[North American Housing Corp.](http://www.northamericanhousing.com “North American Housing Corp.”) announced it is idling the company’s modular-home building operation in Boones Mill because of ongoing housing market woes. The Maryland-based company described the measure as temporary.

40 employees will be laid off from modular-home construction, and 12 will remain working in truss and sales operations.

North American will continue to operate its Front Royal facility.

[Cox Communications](http://www.cox.com “Cox Communications”) told employees in Roanoke that they will be part of a national work force reduction. The company has said it will reduce its national work force by 2 percent by the end of the year.

Cox employs about 200 in Roanoke. Some positions will be eliminated through voluntary retirement, and others will be cut through layoffs. The company representative did not say how many local employees will be laid off.

[Read](http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/186602 “Read the Article”) (Roanoke Times)

After sitting vacant for four years, the former Valleydale meat packing plant and its 10 acre lot in Salem has been sold to .com properties.

The local representative for buyer .com properties said that they are interested in rehabbing the office portion of the property and leasing it out. The development group is the same one that owned the former West Salem Plaza for years.

During .com properties’ ownership, West Salem Plaza deteriorated and finally emptied. .com properties received a promise of [development incentives from the city of Salem](http://ourvalley.org/news.php?viewStory=3096 “Read the Article”). Since then, they sold the property, and the developer has torn it down.

[Read](http://ourvalley.org/news.php?viewStory=3612 “Read the Article”) (OurValley.org)

The future is uncertain for Richmond based [Ukrop’s](http://www.ukrops.com “Ukrop’s”) that arrived in Roanoke 18 months ago amid much fanfare.

An undeveloped retail center, a poor economy and competition from other grocers are thorns in the side for Ukrop’s Super Market, a family owned supermarket chain that opened its doors in Roanoke in June 2007.

This week, Bobby Ukrop, president and chief executive officer of Ukrop’s, said **the grocer cannot stay in Roanoke if sales do not improve**.

[Read](http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/186427 “Read the Article”) (Roanoke Times)

We received a letter from Ukrop’s stating that sales had decreased since the initial opening, and it asked us to give Ukrop’s another try and included coupons.

[North American Housing Corporation](http://www.northamericanhousing.com “North American Housing”) in Boone’s Mill is trimming its staff due to the downturn in the housing market. The local facility builds modular homes.

A spokesman wouldn’t say how many people will be affected.

[Read](http://www.wdbj7.com/global/story.asp?s=9450994 “Read the Notice”) (WDBJ-7)

[Shorewood Packaging](http://www.ipaper.com/Packaging/Packaging%20Business%20Divisions/Shorewood%20Packaging.html “Shorewood Packaging”) plans to close its Roanoke facility after the first of the year.

45 people will be out of work on January 16.

[Read](http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/local/article/shorewood_packaging_closing_in_roanoke/22365/#When:19:29:57Z “Read the Notice”) (WSLS-10)