Century Brass Stops Making Grenade Casings

Financially troubled Century Brass Products has halted production of grenade casings for the U.S. Army. The closing of its ordnance division will result in an elimination of 100 jobs.

The company, which has made more than 28 million grenades for the Army since 1980, said it closed the division Monday because of costly alterations ordered by the government.

Century Brass was once the largest industrial employer in the Naugatuck Valley, with 1,800 employees and 1984 sales of $140 million.

The company closed its brass mills in March after unionized employees refused to grant wage and benefit concessions. The company later filed for protection from creditors under federal bankruptcy laws.

With the closing of the ordnance division, the company has shrunk to about 800 employees and less than $50 million in sales.