Just Wondering

Talked to the neighbor across the street yesterday. He told me some bad news about his situation. He lost his job as a technician at AK Research after 28 years with the company the other day. Only place he has worked. He said that while they were laying off technicians, they were keeping the young engineers. They only have five techs left in the whole place. Don't know why they would do that unless the engineers can run the test equipment to continue their research projects. This conversation prompted a question about AK. Given the fact that the big dogs have left town and gone to West Chester, how many people are really left down at the old general offices/research?

there's about 50 people left at Research - a place that hasn't done much research since AK took over.

Research has not produced a single patent in the past 10 years - about the time AK took over from the last vestige of Armco left in Middletown. the place used to crank out patents for new steel processes and products and Armco enjoyed the license fees charged to other steelmakers for WHAT WAS INVENTED IN MIDDLETOWN.

I understand that Wainscott is now watching the license fees for all the product and process patents expire. Too little - too late Jimmy. You and Wardrop didn't realize what you had.

I don't think folks around here realize how much innovation kept steelmaking in Middletown for the past 100+ years and the major role Research played in it.