KEY POINTS:
The small town of Wellsford is feeling the combined force of our home-made recession and the global financial crisis.
The north Rodney community looks likely to lose its largest employer, with the US-owned Irwin Industrial Tools predicted to scale down production and cut 97 jobs at its saw blade factory, about two-thirds of the existing workforce. In a town of 1700 people, the effects could be enormous.
"Everybody knows someone, or is related to someone, who has worked at Irwin, or has [personally] been employed by Irwin," says Te Hana Community Development Trust chief executive Linda Clapham.
"It has had a hugely positive influence on our town and its prosperity."
The Te Hana trust provides tertiary-level training courses for locals, in subjects ranging from weaving and carving to horticulture and computing.
"We could probably take up to 50 of them (on training courses) ... but most people are looking for employment, they are not looking for training."
Ms Clapham believes the answer to the downturn is to try to keep the region's young people in the area "so they don't have to go down to Auckland and get into trouble down there.
"That's often what happens when they don't have the family support around them."
Irwin has previously been the key to keeping the youngsters in town, as it offered jobs and skills and trades. But the people are not taking a defeatist attitude to the downturn, just yet.
Mainstreet Traders owner Helen Bayer has her own plan for weathering the recession.
"The vegie garden is going to get bigger," says Ms Bayer, who has been running her secondhand store since May last year.
Things started "turning sour" for the business in June and July last year, and, with the exception of December, it has been quiet ever since.
Although her shop regularly receives visitors from out of town, Ms Bayer's clientele are mostly local and that could be the answer to her getting through the downturn.
"My attitude is that with my business and my supplier ... that we are going to get good-quality furniture, and sell it at a good price, so it's affordable for the community.
"It's a close-knit community and we do try to support each other."
Next door, United Appliance owner Michael Blank reckons diversification will get his company through a downturn that looks likely to do for Irwin. His business, which employs two staff, has "changed hugely" during the boom years.
"Repairs have been dropping steadily all the time ... because of the state of the economy.
"Buying new stuff has been that cheap, people haven't bothered repairing."
Secondhand sales also took a hit, with volumes falling steadily in recent times - from two to three second-hand sales a week, to one a month.
"Trade Me and the economy killed secondhand."
But that's all starting to change. As times get tougher, demand for second-hand appliances is rising again.
Mr Blank reckons secondhand sales - combined with a recent move into new appliances - should get him through the next 12 months.
Wellsford Sport and Leisure Centre owner Sandy Shaw is philosophical about the town's future.
"If builders don't want saw blades, there's not a lot Wellsford can do about it."
And her thoughts for the next 12 months? "I am hoping it's going to be business as usual, but I am not so sure. Not everyone is expecting the worst; the menfolk still like their beer."
