Closing of Allentown Metal Works represents the end of the era
January 7th, 2011

Every book has an ending and the same is true with corporate success
stories. In America, the endings for books are much easier to accept
than the end of a company, but in both cases they are inevitable.

Allentown Metal Works, a 100 year old plant in south Allentown, will
close its doors for good sometime in 2011.

In 2005 it was used a gritty backdrop in the city’s mayoral election
and was held up as a symbol of bringing manufacturing back to the
region. It also was a stop on President Barack Obama’s tour of the
Lehigh Valley in a recent visit.

However, it more accurately represented a bygone era of when
manufacturing was king of the economy in the Lehigh Valley and around
the country.

Unfortunately, the manufacturing cycle has seen its boom in America,
and while not necessarily in the bust phase of the cycle, the
landscape has changed drastically for American manufacturers.

While some may choose to lament the closing of a chapter in the
history of Allentown business, the city is prepared to move on by
closing the book on this era, and assist some company in utilizing the
space for something new and productive as soon as possible.

More than likely it will be used by some sort of Service Company,
which is currently in the boom phase for the local and US economy.

http://www.examiner.com/business-com...end-of-the-era