Greenbrier closure to result in 60 local jobs lost

A policy change for an Oregon-based company is expected to result in the loss of about 60 local jobs.

The Greenbrier Companies Inc., a provider of equipment and services to the railway industry, announced Thursday that the company has reached an agreement to sell all of the equipment used at its reconditioned wheelset rollerbearing operations facility on Peterson Drive in Elizabethtown.

Greenbrier and buyer The Timken Company also entered into a long-term supply agreement for Timken to provide Greenbrier with reconditioned and new bearings. The companies didn’t disclose the amount for which the equipment was sold.

The Elizabethtown location is the only bearings facility held by Greenbrier.

The operation in Elizabethtown is profitable, but recent changes in rules related to reconditioned components and lacking availability of certain key materials caused Greenbrier officials to choose to get out of the bearing business, according to a news release from the company.

The sale means the closing of operations at the facility after a transition period of about 60 days, Greenbrier spokesman Jack Isselmann said.

The facility employed about 100 people at one time, but that number has shrunk to about 60 since Greenbrier bought it in 2008 through not hiring people to fill vacated positions, he said.

Employees were told about the change last week, and will continue working through the transition period, Isselmann said.

They have been told that anyone qualified for an open position in another Greenbrier facility is welcome to request a transfer. It is likely Timken will make the same offer, he said.

The land and building are planned to be listed for sale after the transition period, Isselmann said.

Amber Coulter can be reached at (270) 505-1746 or acoulter@thenewsenterprise.com.