Company Closes in Berne, 137 Jobs Lost
By: Audra Streetman
Updated: March 12, 2013
Ficosa North American Corporation plans to close its plant in Berne on May 31. All 137 workers at Ficosa will lose their jobs.
The first phase of reduction will begin May 2. In July 2011, Ficosa laid off 175 workers at the same facility.
Ficosa International makes various parts for automakers.
Gregg Sprunger, President of the Berne City Council told WFFT, "We're such a small community to begin with and we've got other manufacturing plants in Berne as well but anytime you lose something of that magnitude in a small community of 4,000 or so that's huge."
The Berne City Council will work with the mayor to find another company to take over the plant. In a statement, Mayor McKeen told WFFT, "While we are disappointed to see a corporate partner like FICOSA leave our community, we stand ready to welcome new business ventures."
The Executive Director of Economic Development for Adams County told WFFT, "We do know that Ficosa is working with a potential buyer for the company. We also know through working the state and our office that we're trying to attract a lot of businesses that will employ a lot of those people back."
The first phase of reduction will begin May 2. In July 2011, Ficosa laid off 175 workers at the same facility.
Ficosa International makes various parts for automakers.
Gregg Sprunger, President of the Berne City Council told WFFT, "We're such a small community to begin with and we've got other manufacturing plants in Berne as well but anytime you lose something of that magnitude in a small community of 4,000 or so that's huge."
The Berne City Council will work with the mayor to find another company to take over the plant. In a statement, Mayor McKeen told WFFT, "While we are disappointed to see a corporate partner like FICOSA leave our community, we stand ready to welcome new business ventures."
The Executive Director of Economic Development for Adams County told WFFT, "We do know that Ficosa is working with a potential buyer for the company. We also know through working the state and our office that we're trying to attract a lot of businesses that will employ a lot of those people back."
WFFT reached out to the FICOSA spokesperson but did not get a response.
