Whayne Supply lays off seven employees in Corbin

 The domino effect of the downturn in the coal industry continues as heavy equipment company Whayne Supply has laid off seven employees at the Corbin facility.

Corbin City Manager Marlon Sams said the layoffs were announced Wednesday, though he did not have any details of what departments the layoffs were coming from or whether or not they were permanent.

The company had a similar layoff in June 2013, in which 14 employees were affected.

As with that layoff, the downturn eastern Kentucky coal production is the reason.

This layoff follows the recent announcement that CSX was eliminating 180 jobs at the Corbin train yards and closing its maintenance facilities.

Whayne Supply Company was founded in Louisville, Kentucky in 1913, and is one of the oldest and largest Caterpillar dealers in the United States. It specializes in the sale, lease and service of large equipment for construction companies, contractors, coal operators and others. In recent years, the company has been sharply affected by a downturn in the coal industry.

The company has approximately 1,300 employees with facilities in 16 cities across Kentucky and southern Indiana.  In addition to CAT equipment sales, parts, service, and rentals, Whayne Supply Company is also the local dealer for Reedrill, Trail King, Thomas Built Buses, Challenger, Lexion, Sullair, Allmand and other construction, industrial, mining, paving, forestry, and agricultural equipment.