General Extrusions auctions some equipment to pay loans, union official says

BOARDMAN — General Extrusions was auctioning about 90 percent of its fabricating and finishing equipment this morning, making it unlikely that laid off workers will be recalled, a union official said.

Joe Terlecky, president of Local 5145 of the United Steelworkers of America, said the Lake Park Road aluminum extruder was forced to auction equipment in order to pay bank loans. The company’s extrusion presses are not part of the auction and will continue to operate, he said.

Terlecky said about 140 of the 180 hourly workers have been laid off since last year because of slow sales and about half of the 90 salaried workers are off the job.

General Extrusions officials could not be reached for comment, but the company said the auction was for equipment that “is obsolete or seldom used.” Production will restart Wednesday, the company said.

For more information, see Wednesday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.