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November 2, 2006
An unspecified number of workers were laid off Thursday at the Standard Forged Products Johnstown Axle Plant at the Lower Works in downtown Johnstown.
The layoffs were confirmed by the company, but the number of employees that have been let go is unknown.
Reportedly, the layoffs involve dozens of workers.
Representatives from both Dallas-based Trinity Industries Inc., which owns the plant, and the United Steelworkers of America, which represents the shop’s union employees, declined to comment.
The layoffs came one day after Trinity reported third-quarter earnings of $55.4 million. Total revenues for the quarter were up 17 percent compared with the same period of last year.
In the same report, Trinity noted a backlog of railcar orders of about 32,200, the highest level in the company’s history.
The axle plant was reopened in August 2005 after Trinity had mothballed it in 2000.
The company said that it intended to return the plant to the 70-employee level it was at before closing.
In July, Trinity execs announced the plant had surpassed expectations and had about 120 workers on the job.
At the time, company officials were optimistic about the plant’s future, though they pointed out an industry slowdown was expected.
“The strength in demand for railcars right now has recovered much more quickly than analysts had expected,” James Perry, vice president and treasurer, said in July.
“We are expecting slightly lower levels next year than this and last year. Our CEO refers to it as a ‘plateau’ and we expect to see that the next few years. But even at that plateau, demand will remain at very healthy levels.”
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