Unless a last minute buyer steps forward, the E.H. Hall/Westan Co. will soon be shutting its plant doors in Westfield, Pa. Manufacturing shoeing pads and other leather products, the employee-owned company provided jobs for 156 workers and was the oldest continuously operating business in Pennsylvania’s Tioga County.

Due to not being able to continue or establish new banking and credit relationships, the firm notified its employees in early February of a possible closing. This was done to meet federal regulations and the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988 that is designed to protect certain employee rights.

At the time of issuance, the company’s chief executive, Thomas Herring indicated that there was reasonable optimism that a successful financial agreement was close to being completed with financial institutions. But even considering the best possible scenario, the company is up to 2 months from generating new leather production since no new hides have begun the soaking and tanning process since early December. In the meantime, horseshoe pad orders will be filled from existing inventories.

OTHER INDUSTRY NEWS...

• For filling out surveys with valuable information to help plan next year’s program, three attendees at the late January International Hoof-Care Summit had their names drawn to receive free registration for next year’s event that is hosted by American Farriers Journal. Jarod Catalano of Jefferson, La., Henry Nisley of Baltic, Ohio, and Bill Wolfe of Baltimore, Md., will receive free registration at the third annual Summit being held from Feb. 1 to 4, 2006…