WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – New York Air Brake is rebuilding its Watertown manufacturing operation, pivoting to transit parts production years after sending freight train manufacturing to Mexico and cutting more than 100 jobs.<\/p>\n
For more than a century, New York Air Brake produced freight train parts at its Watertown headquarters. In 2021, the company moved that manufacturing out of the country, eliminating 125 jobs.<\/p>\n
The Watertown plant has since shifted its focus, now producing parts for transit customers including Amtrak and various subway systems.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are reimagining the operations for manufacturing associated with the Watertown New York Air Brake location,\u201d said Kevin Hoyt, head of manufacturing for American operations.<\/p>\n
The Watertown location currently employs nearly 50 people in manufacturing. A newly announced assembly line accounts for 10 of those positions.<\/p>\n
The Jefferson County Economic Development group said it is optimistic about the growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited about any growth that happens with Air Brake, one of our leading legacy manufacturers in the county,\u201d said Marshall Weir, CEO of Jefferson County Economic Development.<\/p>\n
New York Air Brake officials said they are confident in the potential for further growth at the Watertown location. The headquarters currently employs 221 workers at the Watertown office.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a difficult story in the original part, and it\u2019s I think a good story in the way we\u2019re moving it in a new direction,\u201d Hoyt said.<\/p>\n
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