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Plant in Danville to Close; People’s Futures Unclear

DANVILLE — Metso Corporation designs equipment for the mining, oil, and gas industries. There are between 60 and 70 employees who work at the plant on Rai...
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DANVILLE -- Metso Corporation designs equipment for the mining, oil, and gas industries. There are between 60 and 70 employees who work at the plant on Railroad Street in Danville. But early next year, the company is closing its Danville facility and moving operations to its plant in York.

Montour County Commissioner Ken Holdren calls this a huge hit for Montour County.

"We're not talking about manufacturing line-type jobs. We're talking about professional engineers who work there, who spend money in this community," Holdren said.

When commissioners found out the Danville plant was closing, they contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. Holdren wants the state's rapid response team to help these employees.

"We also have the issue of the people working in the plant, in the trenches, 62 years old and now January first has no job," Holdren said.

The company says most of the employees will be offered jobs at the facility in York, but the workers we spoke with said nothing has been offered yet.

"I think it will be a minority of people who take the option of moving to York and accepting the position in York," Holdren said.

It's not just Metso's feeling the effects. The employees shop at the businesses here in Danville and eat at the restaurants so those places will also be impacted.

"It's going to hurt because they order out a lot. Sometimes we get $200, $300 orders from them," Evan Willard said.

"One of the guys comes in on Fridays and we hang out and talk. He just bought a house in town. I'm not sure what he's going to do," Paul Dutton said.

Metso Corporation's website says the Danville facility will close by mid-2017. But Montour County Commissioners say that date is a lot sooner -- January 1 of next year.

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