Eaton Corp. announced Wednesday, Dec. 20, that 40 workers will lose their jobs at its plant in Auburn, Ind., on Friday, the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reported. The Auburn plant produces heavy- and medium-duty clutches and clutch systems. On Oct. 30, Eaton warned it might eliminate as many as 113 hourly and 10 salaried jobs in Auburn as the company prepares for an industry downturn in 2007.
Don Alles, corporate spokesman for Eaton, told the Journal Gazette that job eliminations are occurring at Eaton plants across North America as the company prepares for an anticipated 40 percent drop in demand next year for heavy-duty trucks, a large segment of Eaton’s business. Next year, new Environmental Protection Agency emissions requirements take effect, adding considerable compliance costs for new trucks.
