GE will close Niles plant earlier than first announced

NILES — General Electric is shutting down its Niles Glass Plant about eight months earlier than had been announced.

The plant will close Feb. 22, eliminating 57 jobs.

Janice Fraser, a GE spokeswoman, said the company has enough inventory of the plant’s products — high-intensity lights such as street lights. The plant typically closes for long periods each year, she said.

GE announced last fall that it would close the Niles plant and the Austintown Products Plant this coming October. The Austintown plant, which has 73 workers, is one of three plants that makes filaments for incandescent bulbs and is still scheduled to remain open until October.

For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.