NESQUEHONING, Pa. — When people think of the borough of Nesquehoning, they think of Kovatch Mobile Equipment.
The landmark business has been in the community for decades, but after 50 years, it is closing its doors here in Carbon County.
Employees tell us Friday was the last day on the job for many at the company.
For nearly four years, Matt Green of Coaldale has been an employee of Kovatch Mobile Equipment in Nesquehoning. Helping the business assemble and produce top-of-the-line custom fire trucks and apparatus for more than 50 years.
But, Friday was his last day.
"Kind of, like, hurts because we're all like a family, and we were all getting along great. Though we'd be here for a long time, but unfortunately, we got the news," said Green, a KME employee.
Green was one of the hundreds of employees who learned last year that they would be losing their jobs at the plant.
KME's parent company REV Group decided to move production elsewhere.
Green says he will be shipped off to Lousiana to work one more month after Friday, then be let go.
Lee Thear of Nequeshoning left KME back in September.
"It was more on my terms. I basically wanted to get in front of everybody else leaving cause I knew there was a great exodus coming, unfortunately. So I wanted to get out there and find something else while I could," said Thear, a former KME employee.
Employees at KME are not the only ones suffering from the closure. The Manager at the Sunoco gas station says that since layoffs, business has been slower than normal.
"This store was built to serve these employees. It was built by the Kovatch family to serve the employees of their company, like at break time and lunchtime. You know, hot food, deli food, drinks, snacks. They would all come over on break," said Rhonda Burian, manager of the convenience store at the Sunoco gas station.
REV Group bought KME from the Kovatch family six years ago.
In a statement, Kent Tyler, REV's president, said:
"We want to thank the local Nesquehoning community for their support of those employees who have chosen to remain in Nesquehoning and not relocate. Furthermore, we are grateful to our entire KME team, who have worked with us over the years to build the KME brand, and have helped transition production to our other facilities."
Rev Group officials say employees are finishing up on final orders, and the remaining team will be wrapping up over the coming months.
Those here in the community hope another company comes in and takes over the plant.
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