Manchester Tank To Close Bedford Facility

(BEDFORD) – Employees of Manchester Tank were notified on Monday that they will no longer have a job by June 30th.

Employees were notified on Monday that by June 30, 2020 the Bedford Facility will be closed

Michael Jones, Public Relations of McWane (parent company of Manchester Tank Birmingham, Alabama), released the following statement.

“Manchester Tank has made the difficult decision to close its Bedford facility. After exploring all options to remain open, it became clear it is not economically feasible. Manchester Tank is providing severance packages to our team members based on seniority, and assistance in transitioning to new careers. We thank the Bedford community for its support,” said Jones.

Employees received the following letter

Manchester Tank was founded in 1945 as Manchester Welding and Fabricating Co. in Los Angeles. The company got its start with the production of five-gallon vertical tanks for butane and propane storage, primarily used by mobile homes. The company started with seven employees and manufactured approximately 200 tanks per week. Manchester is now a division of Birmingham, Ala.-based McWane. Manchester Tank operates four manufacturing facilities in the US and three off-shore operations that serve local markets. In total, the company employs nearly 1,000 people globally and produces thousands of tanks daily.

Founded in 1921, McWane is a family-owned business based in Birmingham, Ala., with companies across the US and the world. McWane casts ductile iron products – including pipes, valves, hydrants, fittings, and plumbing products – manufactures fire extinguishers, fire suppression systems, steel pressure vessels and builds network switches and monitoring equipment. With more than 6,800 team members, McWane has a longstanding commitment of support to the communities where it operates.

Back in October, Manchester Tank filed their compliance statement with the City of Bedford for Tax Abatements given to the company.

Manchester Tank filed its compliance with Statement of Benefits with the Bedford City Council. The company built a storage pad that covered 1.25 acres. They also made some modifications to their building. The company started a new propane tank production facility which was to be used to build 1,000 gallon, 500 gallon, and 325-gallon tanks.

Manchester makes 1,000 gallon, 500 gallon, and 325-gallon propane tanks.

Manchester Tanks has increased its business by 60 percent. The company’s workforce has gone from 113 employees to 134 employees with some fluctuation and is running two shifts to meet demands.

Employees at this time are trying to process the news and be able to share the news with their families.

“My husband found out today in a meeting. We do not know what we are going to do at this point. We need prayers,” said one of the family members of an employee who wished not to be identified.