ANTIGO, WI (WSAU-WXPR) — A long-time Antigo manufacturer is closing and a legislator says they will do what they can for the 80 workers out of work.
Merit Gear’s closure will happen in phases, with full closure expected by March 2020. According to reports, Rexnord bought Merit Gear for $78 million in Dec. 2013. State Senator Tom Tiffany of Hazelhurst tells WXPR Radio in Rhinelander they have made contacts to get help for the workers.
“Representative Felzkowski and I have reached out to the Governor’s office and they are in touch with the state agencies that work on this. They’ll be sending out the rapid response teams to help people placed in other employment, help them with opportunities that may be out there that matches the person’s skill set, or also job re-training, to give people an opportunity to get new employment.”
In the unfortunate situation, Tiffany says, the unemployed workers might catch a break. “If there is a silver lining, for people with some technical expertise, have some on-the-job experience that’s valuable, there are a lot of jobs open here in northern Wisconsin, including Antigo. Our goal is to give these people an opportunity at other employment that pays them as much as they were making at Merit Gear.”
Merit Gear has been manufacturing since 1952. They manufacture gearing and specialized gearboxes, which mainly serve the oil and gas industry. The jobs in Antigo will be moving to the parent company Rexnord’s facilities in Milwaukee.
