(KAIR)--Idle for sometime, it comes as no surprise to City of Atchison officials that Northwest Pipe is closing its doors for good. “Our understanding is that they'll be finishing up production this month,” City Manager Trey Cocking tells MSC News. “They have remaining products that they'll be shipping out through March, and then they will maintain security in place after that.” 

Cocking says the city has been working with the operation in trying to find a solution, but to no avail. “It's been a steady decline for about the past year. The falling oil prices have just really hammered that business. We've been in contact with Northwest Pipe for about the six months, seeing if there's anything we can do, but they're just facing hurricane-like headwinds that makes it impossible to do anything on the margins to help them out.” 

Cocking says the facility is currently being marketed in an attempt to see a buyer make the purchase and reopen the operations; and, if that happens, it would be good news for the City. He says the hope is that once the oil market stabilizes, a buyer would see the purchase as a good opportunity.