American LaFrance fire truck unit leaving Summerville

Financially troubled vehicle maker American LaFrance is shifting fire truck manufacturing out of its Summerville plant under a major reorganization of its business.

The fire truck unit is being relocated to existing factories in New York and Pennsylvania, the company announced late Friday.

American LaFrance said in a statement that it was making "permanent and temporary reductions of employment in all its facilities" as part of its bankruptcy restructuring plan. It did not disclose any figures.

At last count, American LaFrance had about 500 employees in Summerville, which will remain open to make heavy duty trash-hauling trucks.

The company also said it is pursuing "several ... new vocational business ventures" for the year-old plant off Jedburg Road. It described those business ventures as "pending" but did not elaborate.

Company officials were not available for comment Monday.

American LaFrance, one of the oldest manufacturers of emergency vehicles and other trucks in the nation, sought bankruptcy protection Jan. 28 because it owed $85 million to its unsecured creditors.

The company blamed a depressed market and a problem-riddled move from North Charleston to its new Summerville location, among other factors.

For more details, see Tuesday's Post and Courier.