Wheatland Tube in Mercer Co. laying off 40

WHEATLAND, Pa. (AP) — Wheatland Tube Co. is moving operations from its pipe plant in Sharon to another western Pennsylvania plant, and laying off 40 workers in the process.

Wheatland Tube has shut down its hot-mill operation at the Sharon plant and is moving equipment to a sister plant in Wheatland.

The tubular steel company is owned by John Maneely Co.

Company president Bill Kerins says the company is spending $2 million to upgrade equipment and consolidate operations at the Wheatland plant. The consolidation should last through at least next year.

The company has about 900 workers in the western Pennsylvania area, who have been subject to rolling layoffs because of the slow economy.