Fort Wayne hoping to keep some Navistar jobs

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Fort Wayne officials say they aren't giving up hope that Warrenville-based Navistar International Corp. will keep some jobs in the city despite the company's decision to consolidate operations at a new headquarters in suburban Chicago.

Navistar has about 1,400 workers, including contractors, in Fort Wayne at its truck design center and other facilities.

Navistar vice president Don Sharp tells The Journal Gazette it's uncertain how many Fort Wayne employees will be offered jobs when operations move to Illinois.

Sharp said Navistar also planned to close its Fort Wayne test track because it doesn't use the track often enough.

Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance president Andi Udris says he'll keep making proposals to Navistar since it hasn't made final decisions on a planned technology center near its new Lisle, headquarters.