Fort Wayne piston maker cutting 140 jobs after losing Ford contract

By Sherry Slater, The Journal Gazette

A Fort Wayne piston manufacturer that has shed 300 union jobs in the past five years is losing 140 to 150 more. But this time the work is leaving because of a lost contract rather than a company decision to move jobs to other plants.

Karl Schmidt Unisia Inc. learned last week that Ford Motor Co. won't renew a contract for 4.6-liter pistons, a company official told The Journal Gazette on Tuesday. About 100 hourly and salaried employees will remain at the operation, 2425 Coliseum Blvd. S.