Meeting planned for those laid off when Manchester Metals closed

Workforce Development, Wabash County and North Manchester town officials have scheduled a rapid response meeting for the nearly 90 employees laid off Wednesday by the closure of the iron castings company Manchester Metals Inc.

The meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Manchester Community Schools Administration Building, 404 W. Fourth St., North Manchester.

WorkOne Northeast representatives will provide information on job search, career counseling, employment and training/education opportunities, as well as information about unemployment insurance.

In addition, Wabash County-based employers with open positions are encouraged to attend the meeting, give one-minute overviews of their companies, and stay afterward to field inquiries. Interested companies can RSVP to the county’s economic development organization, Grow Wabash County, at info@growwabashcounty.com.

“The quick mobilization of resources and the collaboration of organizers is truly special,” said Keith Gillenwater, president and CEO of Grow Wabash County. “We are all committed to ensuring that former Manchester Metals workers have every opportunity to prosper under challenging circumstances.”

North Manchester Town Manager Adam Penrod said, “It is encouraging to see people working together for the common good of communities. We are optimistic there will be some positive outcomes from this.”