Business news digest

REGION

Severstal eliminates jobs

WARREN — Severstal Warren has permanently eliminated some salaried jobs at the steel mill, which used to be known as WCI Steel.

Bette Kovach, a company spokeswoman, said she didn’t have the number of jobs eliminated, but they included some workers who had been laid off recently and others who still had been working.

Steel production at the mill has been shut down since last fall because of reduced demand, but Kovach said Severstal “remains committed to the North American market, and that includes Warren.”

About 1,000 hourly workers are laid off. Severstal is a Russian company that bought the mill last year.

Brothers buy Amrod

YOUNGSTOWN — Alex and Brian Benyo, who own three Youngstown companies, have bought Amrod Bridge & Iron in Sharon, Pa. The Benyo brothers own Brilex Industries, Boltech and Quality Machine.

Amrod supplies fabricated steel components that are part of heavy civil construction contracts. It has 45 employees in a 45,000-square-foot plant. Jon Dorma, the company founder, will remain president and chief executive.

The Benyos said Amrod is a good fit for their other companies because they start with similar materials — steel plate, beams and pipe — and use complimentary engineering and manufacturing technologies.

Stoneridge loses $11.6M

HOWLAND — Stoneridge said Friday that it lost $11.6 million, or 49 cents a share, on sales of $121.1 million in the first quarter. In the same quarter last year, it earned $6.5 million on sales of $203.1 million.

It said its sales and earnings decreases were the result of reduced vehicle production in North America. The company provides electrical and electronic components for vehicles. It is based in Howland but has nearly all of its employees outside the area.

Essroc closing plant

BESSEMER, Pa. — Essroc began closing down its cement plant here Friday.

This was the last week for production of clinker — a hard, synthetic rock. Milling of the clinker that has been made will continue for some months.

The shutdown of the operation was announced in March. The company said it didn’t have enough business to keep the plant open.

Gradual layoffs will occur as the company winds down operations. A spokesman said 35 of the 110 workers will still be on the job next week. The other jobs have been eliminated except for at least five workers who have moved to other Essroc plants.

Dominion to lower rate

CLEVELAND — Dominion East Ohio said the rate it charges certain customers will fall by 31 cents per thousand cubic feet of natural gas to $4.72 per thousand cubic feet, starting May 19. A year ago, the rate was $12.72.

The Standard Service Offer rate is charged to customers who don’t buy from an outside supplier under Energy Choice or don’t participate in a government aggregation program. Such customers are assigned a supplier at the new rate.

From Vindicator staff reports