Staff Writer 

Debi Grenier spent last Thursday morning washing dusty shelves and a glass door. And she was very happy to do it.

“It is just an awesome feeling being back in the workforce and doing what I love to do,” said Grenier, 53.

It is not the washing she loves as much as the re-emergence of Wood Structures Inc. and her job as a production planner at the Biddeford-based company that builds wooden trusses for construction.

The day after Grenier returned to work, Maine Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman announced the state unemployment rate rose in May to a seasonally adjusted 8.3 percent. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April was 7.9 percent and in May 2008, it was 5.1 percent, Fortman said.

At what is now called Boise Structural Solutions, the news was better as Grenier, operations manager Chris Friel and others came back to the Saco manufacturing facility, which closed in March when Wood Structures filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in federal court.

At its peak, Wood Structures employed about 185 people. About 160 were working when the company closed its doors in March, said former company president Frank Paul.

Last week, Idaho-based Boise Building Materials Distribution announced it bought the assets of Wood Structures. Paul is now the company manager.

“The hardest thing is getting used to saying the name,” Grenier said about returning to work.

Fortman’s announcement about May labor statistics cited a net loss of 1,200 jobs in the state, but some like sales consultant Bob Berwick have found work after losing jobs this year.

Berwick, who was the general sales manager at Miller Ford in Sanford before the dealership closed at the end of February, found work at Casco Bay Ford in Yarmouth. He was out of work for about a week, he said.

“It’s like going to a new school on the first day and making new friends,” Berwick said.

He said he also earns less selling commercial and fleet vehicles instead of overseeing all sales, especially because contractors and businesses that ordinarily buy commercial vehicles have laid off staff and reduced spending.

“But 2/3 full is better than an empty cup,” Berwick said.

That outlook is one Brianna Lagasse advises her clients to take at Manpower Services in Biddeford.

Lagasse, who manages the office that provides temporary workers throughout York County, said she sees 20 to 50 new clients each week seeking all kinds of work.

Some come in immediately – Lagasse said she had just met with a man who lost his job at the Evonik Cyro acrylic sheet manufacturing plant in Sanford last week.

Others come in when they find their own job searches fruitless, Lagasse said.

There are jobs she can provide, companies that lay off employees still have work that needs doing. But clients need to be flexible about wages and hours when they are looking for work, Lagasse said.

“Put your best foot forward and be confident,” is how she said she advises clients to approach interviews, reminding them the job market is competitive and interviewing can be stressful.

Grenier said she worked at Wood Structures for 25 years, Friel for more than 30. Both said they developed new routines while unemployed.

“Well, I didn’t have to set an alarm clock and I got my spring cleaning done,” Grenier said. 

Even with more time to spend with her grandchildren, she said the idle time did not suit her.

“I didn’t like it – it is too much time. You say ‘What am I going to do?’” she said.

Friel said unemployment gave him time to get things done as well.

“I don’t mind cooking, and there were things I needed to get done around the house,” Friel said. 

Friel’s wife Liz is a social worker. Grenier’s husband Don manages a collision center in Biddeford. Having spouses still working lessened the hardship of unemployment, but Friel and Grenier said feeling as though they were not contributing financially was one of the hardest things about being unemployed.

Both began searching for jobs and found plenty of competition and few openings anywhere, they said.

Friel attended a job fair at the University of Southern Maine.

“I just wanted to get my name out there,” he said, and learned the fair had twice as many visitors and half as many employers looking to hire as one last year.

Paul, who is now the manager of Boise Structural Solutions, said market conditions will determine how many employees can be rehired.

“We have to rebuild bridges because we were out of the market for a while,” said Paul, who was speaking while on his way to a sales call. “The beauty of working with Boise is they are being relatively patient.”

News of the re-opening brought visitors to the Saco production facility last week. One wanted to service company forklifts. Another wanted a job as a truck driver. 

Grenier greeted them and helped them as best she could. Then she cleaned more. 

And grinned the whole time.

Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 241