Will they close or not?

Typically when a factory shuts its doors, employees walk away for good.

But economic development leaders believe Hess Industries will work to stay open in Niles.

For the past few days upper level executives from Hess have not been answering questions about the future of the company.

On Wednesday operations shut down and workers were told to go home when news broke that the company could no longer afford to pay the staff.

Leaders from the Niles Chamber and Milton Township Board are hopeful the company will recover.

Hess paid nearly 15 thousand dollars in back taxes after a warning from the board.

“I just came from there and they said they were working on it,” says Milton Township treasurer Linda DeBroka. “How long and when, they won't comment on than. It may be temporarily shut down. I think it's a good sign all their taxes are caught up and current.”

In the warn notice to the state, Hess stated its intentions to negotiate new contracts and find funding.

Still employees are looking for new jobs after a failure of payment for the past two weeks of work.

Friday’s paycheck for the last two weeks did not clear from Hess Industries.