By Lori Ehde
LuverneÕs Cor-Tech Manufacturing employees are still regrouping after the July 31 fatal accident of their friend and co-worker Nick Mann.
Cor-Tech management has decided to no longer accept individual repair work and will focus instead on major manufacturing projects.
Two of eight employees were laid off last week to make that adjustment.
"It's just the nature of what's come about," said James Stratton, co-worker and brother of Cor-Tech owner Cory Stratton.
The decision follows an investigation and subsequent fine by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The fatal accident also injured ag repair customer John Teune, Steen.
"Some of it's OSHA driven and some of it's insurance driven," James Stratton said of the decision to eliminate private repair work.
"Insurance costs were going to go up, so it wouldnÕt have been feasible for us to do it."
Meanwhile, he said Cor-Tech has plenty of manufacturing contracts to work on.
Cor-Tech has major contracts with the poultry industry to build transport cages and trailers, for example.
It also continues to manufacture cable trailers for national utilities, and building recycling trailers provides steady work for the local employees.
Stratton said the employees seem to have recovered well from the events of July 31,
"They're doing good," he said. "We thank everyone in the community for their continued support."