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Falcon buys $5M in trucks from Cerni
By Danny Restivo
LIBERTY
A deal between two Youngstown-area businesses has brought new job prospects to the Steel Valley.
Falcon Transport Co., a locally owned trucking business for over 100 years, announced its purchase of 50 new trucks during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its headquarters in Liberty Township on Tuesday. Falcon bought the new vehicles in a $5 million purchase from Cerni Motors in Austintown. With the trucks, Falcon is creating positions for five to 10 new mechanics, as well as 25 to 30 new drivers, said Falcon Executive Vice President Mark E. Constantini.
“These will be family- sustainable wages,” he added.
Falcon, which specializes in trucking service for the auto industry, made the decision to buy new trucks because of an aging fleet as well as the upswing in the auto industry.
“The way the industry has been going, we are cautiously optimistic,” said Constantini.
Along with its service to General Motors, Falcon also provides transportation to the steel industry, but Constantini said this purchase “has nothing to do with the shale boom.”
The 50 new International trucks will complement Falcon’s fleet of 800 at six locations nationwide. The new trucks will get better gas mileage than the old trucks and have a state-of-the-art communication system. Constantini said Falcon is willing to hire those with lesser experience and pay for any job training.
“We were thrilled to death to get them here, and now they’re expanding in the Valley,” said Liberty Township Administrator Patrick Ungaro. He hopes the addition of more workers and money into the area will create more jobs. Ungaro also believes Liberty’s location along Interstate 80 and its clean land make the township a suitable location for other businesses.
Tuesday’s purchase comes after Falcon recently opened a new maintenance facility in North Jackson that can service trucks for three shifts a day.