DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and Training Administration

TA-W-55,570

QUEEN MANUFACTURING
A SUBSIDIARY OF S M COMPANY, INC.
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

Certification Regarding Eligibility
To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance and
Negative Determination Regarding Eligibility To Apply For
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance

In accordance with Section 223 of the Trade Act of
1974 (19 USC 2273), the Department of Labor herein presents
the results of its investigation regarding certification of
eligibility to apply for worker adjustment assistance.
In order to make an affirmative determination and
issue a certification of eligibility to apply for Trade
Adjustment Assistance, the group eligibility requirements
in either paragraph (a)(2)(A) or (a)(2)(B) of Section 222
of the Trade Act must be met. It is determined in this case
that the requirements of (a)(2)(A) of Section 222 have been
met.
The investigation was initiated on September 8, 2004,
in response to a petition filed by a company official on
behalf of workers of Queen Manufacturing, a subsidiary of S
M Manufacturing, Inc., Asheville, North Carolina. The
workers were engaged in the copper plating of printed
circuit boards manufactured S M Manufacturing in Asheville.
The investigation revealed that sales, production and
employment declined from January through September 2004
compared with corresponding 2003 period.
Furthermore, the investigation revealed that
production at Queen Manufacturing, Asheville, North
Carolina is vertically integrated with production at S M
Manufacturing, Inc., Asheville, North Carolina. Workers at
S M Manufacturing have been certified eligible to apply for
trade adjustment assistance (TA-W-55,569). Therefore, all
workers of Queen Manufacturing can be certified as well.
In addition, in accordance with Section 246 of the
Trade Act of 1974 (26 USC 2813), as amended, the Department
of Labor herein presents the results of its investigation
regarding certification of eligibility to apply for
Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) for older
workers.
The group eligibility criteria for the ATAA program
that the Department must consider under Section 246 of the
Trade Act are:
1. Whether a significant number of workers in the
workers' firm are 50 years of age or older.
2. Whether the workers in the workers' firm possess
skills that are not easily transferable.
3. The competitive conditions within the workers'
industry (i.e., conditions within the industry
are adverse).
The Department has determined that criterion (2) has
not been met.
The investigation revealed that the workers possess
skills that are easily transferable to other positions.
Conclusion
After careful review of the facts obtained in the
investigation, I determine that increases of imports of
articles like or directly competitive with printed circuit
boards produced at the subject firm contributed importantly
to the total or partial separation of workers and to the
decline in sales or production at that firm or subdivision.
In accordance with the provisions of the Act, I make the
following certification:


"All workers of Queen Manufacturing, a subsidiary of S
M Manufacturing, Inc., Asheville, North Carolina who
became totally or partially separated from employment
on or after September 7, 2003, through two years from
the date of certification are eligible to apply for
adjustment assistance under Section 223 of the Trade
Act of 1974."
I further determine that all workers of Queen
Manufacturing, a subsidiary of S M Manufacturing,
Inc., Asheville, North Carolina are denied eligibility
for Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance under
Section 246 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Signed in Washington, D. C. this 15th day of October, 2004

/s/ Richard Church
______________________________
RICHARD CHURCH
Certifying Officer, Division of
Trade Adjustment Assistance