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Cummins To Lay Off 400 At N.Y. Engine Plant

Anticipating a drop in truck engine orders after the first of the year, Cummins says it will temporarily reduce the work force at its Jamestown, New York, plant by about 400 people.

JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (AP) -- Cummins Inc. says it will temporarily reduce the work force at its western New York engine plant by about 400 people in anticipation of a drop in orders after the first of the year.

Spokesman Mark Land says the Jamestown plant is producing about 500 truck engines a day right now to fill a spike in orders ahead of a Jan. 1 change in emissions standards.

The plant employs 1,100 workers making engines for tractor trailers.

After the emissions change, production will drop to 100 engines a day as orders are expected to fall off even more than usual because of the weak economy.

Executives at the company's Columbus, Ind., headquarters say Wednesday most of the layoffs are expected to be voluntary because health benefits will continue. They're expected to last at least four to six months.