Vertex announces plans to increase workforce by 25%

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Vertex Rail Manufacturing announced on its website today that it will increase its workforce by 25 percent over the next six to eight weeks.

The release states that Vertex does not share its employment statistics for competitive reasons, but that the added number of employees will assist in new car production.

In November 2014, then-Governor Pat McCrory announced that the company would add 1,300 new jobs at the former Terex Crane facility located on Raleigh Street in Wilmington.

In March 2015, New Hanover County Commissioners agreed to help pay to prevent traffic near the new business. The $1.5 million project helped extend Raleigh Street off Carolina Beach Road. Then-Chairman Jonathan Barfield said that helping with the project was the county’s way of showing the new rail company its appreciation.

In May 2015, WWAY reported that Vertex Rail Manufacturing CEO Donald Croteau had recently filed bankruptcy for another of his companies. Donald Croteau and Vertex Fab & Design, LLC, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection in Massachusetts May 5, according to federal bankruptcy court records.

At this time, 189 people were employed at Vertex, about 96 percent of which were from New Hanover and surrounding counties, according to a spokesperson.

In April 2016, the company faced more than $7,700 in fines for two safety violations from the NC Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

In May 2016, Vertex Rail Manufacturing announced an expansion, but also confirmed that 61 workers were being let go.