FCI Plant Closing

MOUNT UNION, HUNTINGDON COUNTY - Framatone Connectors International announced the closure of their plant in Mount Union Friday and they are hoping to have the facility completely shut down by the middle of 2013.

170 workers will either be laid-off or asked to transfer within the next few months.

"For Huntingdon County its huge. Like every county we're trying to retain and create jobs. It's sad anytime you lose jobs like this especially this time of year," Huntigdon County Commissioner Jeff Thomas said.

FCI America's Vice President and General Manager Brent Peterman called the layoffs unfortunate, but necessary as FCI Huntigdon plans to shut its doors in the coming months.

Last month a portion of the plant, owned by Delphi, decided to pull out of the area, and move their products to facilities in Ohio and Mexico.

The rising costs proved to be too much for FCI to overcome, and now they plan on consolidating the plant with a similar plant in Eppers, Pennsylvania.

"We've already had the rapid response team go down and meet with some of the individuals and people down there to make sure all the agencies are helping to assist with the employees at this time," Thomas says.

FCI says they will offer some workers a transfer to their plant in Eppers, but they are unsure how many jobs will be available.

Huntingdon County, however, is ready to do whatever they can to help.

"It's crucial as far as to overcome this layoff to get them back into the workforce," Thomas says.