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Keithley Instruments sale leaves questions
(by Sue Reid - October 07, 2010)
Keithley Instruments sale leaves questions
By SUE REID
Keithley Instruments Inc., one of Solon's top 10 largest employers, has indicated to the city that things are "business as usual for the time being," city Economic Development Director Peggy Weil-Dorfman said Monday.
The company, which has about 360 employees at its Aurora Road (Route 43) facility, announced recently that it has agreed to sell itself to Danaher Corp., in Washington, D.C. Plans are for Danaher Corp. to take over by the end of the year.
Keithley Instruments Inc., which is located at 28775 Aurora Road in the city's industrial district and occupies a 127,000-square-foot building, has been in Solon since 1966. The company makes electronic test and measurement instrumentation equipment.
"Nothing is changing for the moment," Ms. Weil-Dorfman said of the employees there. "What they've advised us is that it is business as usual for the time being. We have to see what happens once the new corporation takes over. They have not yet shared their plans."
Keithley is an organization that already has gone through a lot of changes over the last few years, said Greg Reynolds, co-founder of the Chagrin Valley Job Seekers, which is a job search support group for professionals in transition.
Mr. Reynolds' advice for Keithley employees would be that they have choices, he said.
"Either get on the change bus or not," Mr. Reynolds said. "Their life will be a lot easier if they find a way to adapt. It will never be, 'good ole Keithley.'"
However, Keithley's management team has a "great reputation," Mr. Reynolds said. "It would be my sense they would not have done anything that would have a particularly negative impact on their employees."
Mr. Reynolds said that anytime there is a change at a company, from an employee perspective, they will look at it and ask, 'How is this going to affect me?'
"Keithley will never be the same," Mr. Reynolds said, "but this is true in any acquisition or merger."
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