New York Air Brake getting product line to serve North America
WATERTOWN — The New York Air Brake will introduce a new product line in 2023.
The Watertown Daily Times confirmed that the company will start the Disc Brake Localization North American line next year.
Air Brake’s parent company, the manufacturing giant Knorr-Bremese Group, has been manufacturing the disc brake product for North America at its German facilities, said David J. Zembiec, CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development.
But the German facilities are at capacity, so the company is shifting operations to Watertown, he said.
“They’re bringing it into the U.S.” Mr. Zembiec said, adding the move will have a strong impact on the local economy.
“It reflects on the flexibility of manufacturing and that it will be closer to market,” Mr. Zembiec said.
The plans for the new product line have been kept under wraps since September, when the company announced 125 layoffs and moving manufacturing to a new facility south of the border in Mexico.
The company would not provide more information about the shift to the Watertown plant or how many jobs it will create, Mr. Zembiec said.
Air Brake is still sorting out the layoffs before it will turn to focus on what it means for jobs by adding on the North American responsibilities, Mr. Zembiec said.
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