WEBSTER, N.Y. -- Xerox officially announced Friday morning it will split. The company made the announcement when it released its fourth quarter revenues of $4.7 billion, an eight percent drop from the same quarter last year.
The company will split into two independent, publicly traded companies: one to house Xerox's hardware operations and the other its services business.
At the Webster Town Hall, word that Xerox Corporation was splitting came as a complete surprise. Town Supervisor Ron Nesbitt said he didn't find out from Xerox officials, but through the news media.
Xerox employs about 6,400 in the Rochester area, with the majority of them working at the Webster campus. He said there isn't much left of the Webster campus other than a call center, some design work and a toner plant. The new toner plant opened last summerand was built as a positive move for both the company and the time.
"Xerox promised us in a future time they were going to expand the toner plant and that's good for the town of Webster and now we're taking a step back so we'll just have to see," said Nesbitt.
Nesbitt said he's concerned about what the future holds for jobs at the Webster campus. He said if Xerox decides to pull jobs from the facility, it could hurt the town tax space and the school district.
Nesbitt said he inquired about purchasing one of the vacant buildings on the campus so all town services could be under one roof, however, he found the building needed too much work and it wouldn't be a worthwhile investment.
Although it's unknown what affect the company's split will have on the community, leaders are bracing for the worst.
"It'll hurt the people that live here if they have to move, it'll hurt the school district, it'll hurt economic development," Nesbitt said. "We've been trying to to a lot of things to encourage economic development we will then take a step backwards, but we're hoping that doesn't happen."
One former Xerox employee, who declined to comment on camera, said it's a shame what's happening to the company and its founder, Chester Carlson, must be turning over in his grave.
Some Webster residents believe Xerox is just following the same path as other former major employers.
"It's sad that there's no big companies around anymore. Kodak, Burrows, Bausch and Lomb, Strongberg's, they're all gone. It's pretty sad for Rochester," said Debbie LeRoy, Webster resident.
Although the news doesn't affect them directly, some say they feel for friends and neighbors who currently work at Xerox.
"When I heard the news and I was driving home from work yesterday I was watching the people come out and wondering if they're going to have jobs," said Kerry Fikes, Webster resident. "It's scary, especially our friends that have young children. It's unfortunate."
Not everyone in Webster believes the news is all that bad.
"It's probably good from a business perspective with Xerox splitting it and having more of a directed focus in each area. They can plan strategy a little bit better that way," said Steve Stellwagen, Webster resident, "and hopefully they're not moving any jobs out of the area as a result of it."
If jobs do leave, Monroe County leaders are confident displaced workers will be able to find adaquate employment without having to relocate.
"There are many companies here in Monroe County that are actually seeking a skilled, talented workforce, they're looking for people to work at well," said County Executive Cheryl Dinolfo, R-Monroe County. "It's a great opportunity to put any person who might be seeking a job into a ready made employment, high-skilled paying jobs here in Monroe County."