No blues here: Levi plans to add jobs at financial center.

Byline: SHERRI BURI McDONALD The Register-Guard

CORRECTION (ran 9/18/02): Levi Strauss & Co. is holding job fairs at the Valley River Inn in Eugene from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 25 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 26. An article in the Business section of The Register-Guard on Tuesday listed incorrect dates.

San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co. shut six U.S. factories and laid off about 3,300 workers this spring, but the clothing maker's shared financial service center in north Eugene keeps on growing.

The 2 1/2 -year-old center handles general accounting, payroll, accounts receivable and other financial functions for the company. Now, it's taking on new duties. Levi is adding a business group of 45 workers to take and process orders from retailers throughout the United States, such as Fred Meyer, J.C. Penney, Macy's and Sears.

The work was previously done by employees handling other duties throughout the company, said David Clancy, Levi's human resources manager, based in San Francisco.

Ten people have already been hired and are in training in Eugene. The company is still trying to fill 35 openings for regular full-time workers.

The move will better serve retailers, Clancy said.

"We're hoping to get better efficiencies and more consistent training," he said.

The expansion, which will push the head count in Eugene to about 185 employees by November, underscores the importance of the Eugene center to Levi's overall operation.

"We've put more and more finance functions ... in Eugene," Clancy said. "It's one of our most important facilities, other than our headquarters, in the United States."

Levi Strauss won't disclose the salary range for the new jobs, other than to say they are competitive. Employees qualify for a range of benefits, including a 401(k) retirement savings plan and medical and dental insurance.

Levi Strauss is looking for people with order management or call center experience, and strong technical skills, Clancy said. Job seekers may submit resumes to Levi Strauss through the company's Web site at www.levistrauss.com. (Click on the "Careers" heading and follow the prompts.)

Or, they can attend the company's upcoming job fair at Valley River Inn, 1000 Valley River Way, in Eugene. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 25 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 26.

Levi Strauss is still striving for a financial turnaround after five years of sliding sales. Despite flashy ad campaigns, the company struggles to attract young buyers, who favor edgier, upstart brands.

From a peak of $7.1 billion in 1996, Levi's sales slid to $4.25 billion in 2001, down 8 percent from the previous year.

CEO Philip Marineau said he expects better days ahead for the company. When announcing second-quarter financial results, Marineau said: "This is the inflection point for our company turnaround. From now through the end of the year, we expect to see significant improvement in sales trends."

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WAYNE EASTBURN / The Register-Guard Michael Smith (left) gives pointers to Levi-Strauss employee Sarah Orr on Monday. The company is hiring 45 workers.