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Fort Wayne Stamping Firm
By JIM BARBIERI
The 2001-launched rescue and rejuvenation of Markle’s Wayne Metals has continued with the acquisition of a Fort Wayne metal stamping firm.
As announced in late May in Fort Wayne, Wayne Metals LLC has acquired Impressive Stamping & Manufacturing for about $500,000.
Stated by Greg Myers, Wayne Metals president, was that the indicated 10-plus employees at the Fort Wayne location would be offered jobs at Wayne in Markle, where Impressive’s customers will be served.
As indicated, this would bring Wayne Metals employment at the plant in the Wells County part of Markle to more than 100 workers.
Markle Town Manager Greg Souder told the News-Banner that Markle officials, of course, are pleased about the added jobs and business prospects there.
Myers, who had been production chief in a prior time at the former Wayne Metal operation at Markle, teamed up with Fort Wayne civic and industrial leader Jerome Henry to rescue Wayne operations in fast-moving February developments of 2001.
The former owners had closed the plant at the start of that month, but Henry acted to acquire it with Myers to operate it in a reopening action of mid-February of 2001.
Active employment had dwindled to about 30 or 40 by the shutdown time, and the new operators brought it back up in the aftermath despite strains in the economy.
The plant in the Wells County part of Markle on U.S. 224 had developed around 1960 as an off-shoot from the C. L. Schust industry in Fort Wayne.
Employment grew to well over 200 in the peak period of the 1980s.
Noted then was that the company made a number of parts for the Hummer -- the military all-purpose vehicle to replace the famous military “Jeep” from past campaigns.
The Wayne closing situation in that early period of 2001 was cited then as a threatened tax revenue setback for Northern Wells Schools, for Wells County and for the town of Markle.
Thus, the rescue action by Myers and Henry was much welcomed and praised here and through the area.
The current acquisition adds more jobs in Wells County and indicates increased volume for the Wayne Metals stamping plant at Markle with reported revenues of about $15 million.
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Copyright © 2003 News-Banner Publications, Inc.
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