HOWLAND Trustees scramble to probe closing of Ajax Magnethermic

Township trustees and county commissioners approved a 60 percent 10-year tax abatement for the company in April.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
WARREN -- Howland trustees plan to meet with their lawyer this week to see what, if any, action can be taken against Ajax Magnethermic Corp.
The company, which employs about 145 workers, closed its doors Friday afternoon and hung signs stating it would remain that way until further notice. Ajax makes induction heating and heat treating equipment.
There was no advance notice about the closing, which upsets longtime Howland Trustee Richard E. Orwig.
"We are very surprised," he said. "Someone asked me what we were going to do, but I don't know what we can do."
Tax break
Orwig and other trustees approved a 60 percent, 10-year tax abatement for the company in April, which was in turn approved by Trumbull County commissioners.
"When we met with [Steve Crnich, company vice president], he showed us how they were cleaning up the place, painting it and getting ready to bring in millions of dollars in equipment from a plant in Kentucky they were closing down," Orwig said.
He added Crnich said that the company had interested buyers, and that plans were to add 40-50 jobs within the next two years. Nearly 220 workers were employed at the plant in April, but in early May about 65 people were terminated after bankers cut off financing.
There is no home phone listing for Crnich, and calls to the company went unanswered.
slshaulis@vindy.com