By Carrie Napoleon, Post-Tribune correspondent
GARY -- The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 142 and St. Paul, Minn.-based Cummins NPower LLC Friday were negotiating the closure of the company's Gary facility, according to officials.
Richard Knipp, secretary treasurer for Teamsters Local 142, which represents workers at the location, said he was "right in the middle of negotiating the close down" when contacted Friday afternoon.
He said additional information would be available once the deal was finalized.
Cummins NPower LLC is a distributor for Columbus, Ind.-based Cummins Inc., which is a 50 percent equity partner in the business, according to Mark Land, public relations director for Cummins Inc.
Cummins Inc., which has annual revenues of about $14 billion, is the largest independent maker of large diesel engines and generators and the parts for that equipment. Cummins NPower LLC is part of the sales and service arm of the company, he said.
Land said the Gary location, which employs about 15 people, is one of 10 larger distribution and service centers operated by Cummins NPower. There are several hundred employees company wide, he said.
"There's been talk about the need to consolidate that site," he said.
Cummins NPower LLC said after negotiations with the Teamsters, NPower was unable to reach a new collective bargaining agreement that was satisfactory to both sides. Northern Indiana will now be covered by the Hodgkins, Ill. branch.