By Daniel Friend, For the Pharos-Tribune
A local aluminum casting company recently cut more than 20 positions in its second set of layoffs in the past nine months.
In a telephone interview Thursday, Jeff Todd, president and chief executive officer of S.U.S. Cast Products, confirmed that "approximately 23 positions" had been cut because of the continued drop in demand during the economic slowdown, especially in the housing market.
The company produces aluminum castings for appliances, power tools and heating and air-conditioning units, which are used to construct and equip new houses.
"Our entire customer base is low, just like pretty much everyone else I know," Todd said.
S.U.S., located at 1825 W. Market Street, now operates with 49 employees, including two part-time positions. The positions cut were primarily full-time, Todd said.
The cuts continue the trend of increasing unemployment in the county and statewide. According to numbers provided by the Logansport-Cass County Economic Development Foundation, Cass County in November ranked 33rd among Indiana's 92 counties with a 7.2-percent unemployment rate, 0.4-percent above the state average, and 1,348 people unemployed for all reasons. In addition, Cass ranked 41st in workforce population.
As far as the future of S.U.S. is concerned, Todd said the company, founded in 1946, would work through the tough economic times.
"We're going to continue to push forward," Todd said. "I don't know when and how the economy is going to improve, but we're going to hunker down in the meantime."
After the company laid off 27 workers in May, the Cass County Council voted unanimously to approve its application for tax abatement.
"We did mention and make note of the job cuts," said Cass County Council President Ralph Anderson. "If they are below what they put on the initial application, yes, it could affect their abatement."
Abatement applications are due in May, when the council will vote again on whether to approve them for the upcoming year. Anderson said he could not speak for the council, but he said that if the company fell below the required salary level, he would recommend a decrease in tax abatement, but not a revocation.
"It doesn't make much business or governmental sense for the government to say it's going to give X-amount of dollars and then take it all back," he said.