Castle Rubber closes doors, files for bankruptcy

EAST BUTLER, Pa. (Nov. 10)—Castle Rubber L.L.C. closed its doors in October, putting more than 100 hourly and salaried workers out of a job. Company officials did not immediately return calls seeking comment, but Roy Gamble, president of United Steelworkers of America Local 116L, said the company stopped production late in September and moved molds and equipment in October. Gamble said the firm informed the union Nov. 7 that it had filed for bankruptcy. Castle had plenty of new business on the books, Gamble said, but no money to buy raw materials because customers were not paying Castle on time. The union and Castle management still are negotiating a closure agreement, he said.