Athens, PA IR plant closes after 100 years

Nothing lasts forever. Here is the story from the Sayre Morning Times.

After more than 100 years, Ingersoll-Rand in Athens, the worldwide company’s oldest manufacturing plant, closed its doors for the final time.

With only a handful of employees remaining, the old whistle was blown for the final time in a special ceremony inside the plant. The few employees then walked to the front of the building where Norm Catlin lowered the IR flag for the final time.

Some employees surmised that Chesapeake Energy, new tenants in the building, may soon raise their flag in place of the Ingersoll-Rand one.

Kim Quinn’s husband had worked at IR since 1993. Standing with her father, who had worked at the plant for 35 years, she wiped tears from her eyes, reflecting on more than three decades of memories

“That place brought a lot of income in for families. Kept us off the welfare line,” she said.