Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.
Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Welcome! We hope that you enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.
Thank you for using NNY360! Support local journalism — join now!
Thank you for using NNY360! Support local journalism — join now!
Thank you for signing in! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.
Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.
Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.
Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.
Thank you for using NNY360! We hope that you continue to enjoy our complimentary NNY360 content.
Checking back? Since you viewed this item previously you can read it again. To enjoy all our content, join now!
Log in or sign up for a new account and join now to continue reading.
Join now to continue reading.
Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.
Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.
Promotional Rates were found for your code.
Snow showers in the morning will give way to a mixture of rain and snow in the afternoon. High 39F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 90%..
Rain and snow in the evening. Areas of fog developing late. Low around 30F. Winds light and variable. Chance of precip 70%.
The New York Air Brake facility, pictured last February. Kara Dry/Watertown Daily Times
The New York Air Brake facility, pictured last February. Kara Dry/Watertown Daily Times
WATERTOWN — The New York Air Brake will introduce a new product line in 2023.
The Watertown Daily Times confirmed that the company will start the Disc Brake Localization North American line next year.
Air Brake’s parent company, the manufacturing giant Knorr-Bremese Group, has been manufacturing the disc brake product for North America at its German facilities, said David J. Zembiec, CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development.
But the German facilities are at capacity, so the company is shifting operations to Watertown, he said.
“They’re bringing it into the U.S.” Mr. Zembiec said, adding the move will have a strong impact on the local economy.
“It reflects on the flexibility of manufacturing and that it will be closer to market,” Mr. Zembiec said.
The plans for the new product line have been kept under wraps since September, when the company announced 125 layoffs and moving manufacturing to a new facility south of the border in Mexico.
The company would not provide more information about the shift to the Watertown plant or how many jobs it will create, Mr. Zembiec said.
Air Brake is still sorting out the layoffs before it will turn to focus on what it means for jobs by adding on the North American responsibilities, Mr. Zembiec said.
Cheryl Mayforth, director of the Jefferson County Department of Employment and Training at the Workplace, said she knew that the company planned to initiate a new product line but has not talked to Air Brake officials about it.
As it turned out, the number of laid-off workers will end up being 99. Fourteen workers were laid off in January and 84 are set to be laid off during the first week of April, she said.
The Workplace is hosting a job fair Wednesday at Air Brake specifically for the workers leaving NYAB.
A dozen companies will be attending the job fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, looking for manufacturing and warehousing workers.
Ms. Mayforth is hopeful that the Air Brake employees will be able to find new jobs at the job fair.
“Businesses are struggling to find workers,” she said. “It’s a good time to look for work if there’s ever a good time to have to look for work.”
Some of the workers looking for new employment may be eligible for training, she said.
New York Air Brake LLC, a global manufacturer of innovative train control systems for the railroad industry, is one of Watertown’s oldest companies.
In September, NYAB announced it will launch production in Acuña, Mexico, and shift capacity and production scope at three U.S.-based NYAB facilities: Salisbury, N.C.; Nixa, Mo.; and Kansas City, Mo.
The Workplace also will be hosting a job fair for the general public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 31 at the Ramada Inn in Watertown.
While the job fair will be for all kinds of jobs, Ms. Mayforth hopes the March 31 job fair will help the hard-hit local restaurant and hospitality businesses.
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Your comment has been submitted.
There was a problem reporting this.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
Get the most of NNY360, register today!
By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com
Get Breaking News Alerts deliverd FREE to your inbox
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com