Bummed

[Marilyn]

Haley, I just don't know. I visited a customer yesterday who makes needle coke. It's a material that goes into electrodes. They are shutting down for two months due to lack of sales. Just a few months ago they were going and blowing, revamping the plant, two expansion projects in engineering. We sold them lots of valves last year, and one of the projects was going to be huge for them and us. All their storage is full, and they have literally a mountain of unsold coke in the plant. Looks like a huge pile of coal.

Their are laying off all contractors with the expection of 5 or 6 engineers. The shift workers are going to straight days, 40 hr weeks, and will be doing the maintenance work, mowing lawns and such if needed. There really isn't any maintenance to do since their outage last year. BTW, their owner is in Pennsylvania.

The people in the plant are scared. The same plant went bankrupt several years ago and shutdown for almost a year, laying off all but just a few people. Their new owner had really turned it around, found lots of global customers.

I'm beginning to wonder if there is anyone left to sell to. What a mess!!!