Dan Baker had been almost 34 years at Laidlaw in Monticello, Wis., the last six as plant manager, when Tim Allen, the president, called from headquarters in Scottsdale one day last fall with bad news: The new owners were shutting down the factory and moving it to China. "He wanted me to tell everybody," says Baker. "I told him, 'Well, I don't think it's my job. But if you're not going to tell them, I will.' He decided to come, then."