Navistar closes Indianapolis foundry; 140 lose jobs

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Truck and engine maker Navistar has shuttered its foundry in Indianapolis, leaving all but 20 of the remaining 160 employees without jobs.

The Indianapolis Star reports the foundry had been open for more than 70 years before closing Tuesday. The Lisle, Illinois-based company had announced plans last year to close the foundry, saying it would save about $13 million a year.

United Auto Workers Local 226 president Greg Essex says the foundry stopped pouring last week, and that workers have been cleaning up since then.

Local 226 once represented more than 2,000 workers at the plant. The remaining 20 active members in Local 226 will keep working at used truck reconditioning center run by Navistar on the foundry site.

Navistar spokesman Steve Schrier says it hasn’t decided what will happen to the site.