ANNA - About 75 Anna factory workers may be losing their jobs in early 2010, as a local truck trailer manufacturer has agreed to sell its Anna facilities.

Transcraft Corp., a manufacturer of flatbed, drop deck and dump truck trailers, announced to its employees and Union County officials its plans for consolidation Tuesday, including the permanent closure of the plant at 110 Florsheim Drive, Anna.

A wholly owned subsidiary of Wabash National, Transcraft will be moving all of its operations to its newer facility in Cadiz, Ky., sometime in the first half of 2010, according to a news release issued Tuesday. About 75 people working at the Anna factory will be affected by the move.

"These types of decisions are always difficult to make, especially when it affects associates, but due to the current economic climate, we are faced with the need to further right size our operating footprint and reduce our cost structure," said Terry Campbell, general manager of Transcraft Corp.

Allison Henk, a spokesperson for Wabash National, said Wednesday it is not known now if the Anna employees will be able to get jobs at the Cadiz plant, which is more than 100 miles from Anna.

"It's dependent on trailer demand," Henk said. "If there's a demand, there will be a need for people."

Henk said no closing date has been set, but it will take quite a bit of time to get out of Anna and get up and running in Cadiz.

Transcraft will be selling the factory property to local business owner Rusty Flamm of Rusty's Home Center, a lum-beryard and home center business with locations in Anna and Vienna. While 76 Anna jobs are being eliminated in the sale, the expansion of Flamm's could help make up for some of the economic loss the city will face.

"My current plans are to expand my business and hopefully bring new business to this area," Flamm said.

According to Wabash National, Flamm originally approached Transcraft to purchase an unused portion of the property. After the initial inquiry, Transcraft offered to sell the entire facility to Flamm in conjunction with their plan to consolidate its production facilities.

Despite Flamm's expansion efforts, the closure comes as a tough loss to the community and the county, said County Commissioner Don Denny, who had a career in economic development.

"These days, you hate to lose even 76 jobs," Denny said. "Jobs are just scarce right now."

thomas.barker@thesouthern.com

618-351-5805